


Blood Promise: Dimitri's Point of View

by gigi256



Series: Dimitri's Story: The Vampire Academy Books from Dimitri's Point of View [4]
Category: Vampire Academy Series - Richelle Mead
Genre: F/M, Strigoi Dimitri - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-18
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-07-24 17:42:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 69,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7517404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gigi256/pseuds/gigi256
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dimitri never feared death, but now he relishes it. He's never felt so alive. He's finally awakened to the reality of what immortality has to offer and lives for the night. There is only one person missing... [Warning: Adult content and situations including violence, abuse, and sexual content. Readers, please be aware]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is rated M for a reason. It contains many situations of a sensitive nature that some might find difficult or even triggering. Situations will or may include violence, death, sex, abuse (including emotional, mental, verbal, and sexual abuse), torture and more. This has been a difficult story to write and it may be a difficult story to read. Please proceed with caution.

I hid in the shadows of the trees, waiting. Dusk had already begun to fall, leaving long shadows in its wake, but I wasn't willing to take any chances until I knew I was completely in the clear. Nathan had given me a few pieces of advice before he and the pack had taken off in the vans, leaving me behind on my own, but staying out of the sun was stressed fairly strongly. The other big one was to get the hell away from the Academy, especially for the next little while. However, I was throwing that wisdom out the window right now. I had my reasons.

The real question was _how_ I was going to take care of the next part of my plan. I stared at the entrance, still unable to form a single feasible idea, just like I had been doing for the past several hours. I had watched several guardians change shift, and not a single person had noticed my presence among the stillness of the bushes. I could tell you exactly how many bricks made the archway stretching over the drive and the number of iron bars that made the gate, but I couldn't tell you one single way to break the magical barrier dividing me from my Roza.

Getting in would be impossible. I knew from personal experience that the security was increased and I wouldn't have a chance of passing the wards. Taking on the security guards at the gate wouldn't be a good idea either. Short of Rose running out here of her own volition, I couldn't think of one way to get my hands on her.

Thankfully, inexplicably, that's exactly what she did.

"Mason!" Her frantic call came from my left, about three hundred or so yards from me. It was quiet for me among the other sounds of the forest, and must have been nearly inaudible to the guards at the gate itself. "Mason, I need you!" Distantly, I could see her figure running over the lines that kept her out of harm's way without any regard for her own safety.

I had been fast and quiet before, but I had been nothing compared to who I was now. Moving with the new awareness I possessed was empowering. I wasn't perfectly silent but it was almost semantics at this point. I could notice things like sticks and leaves in time to avoid them even at my increased speed, and by the time you did look to see what you might have heard, I would already be gone. And it seemed like no matter how long I ran, I did so without tiring and without the need to catch my breath. Speed, stealth, and endurance made for a deadly combination.

Rose, however, was none of these things at the moment. As I got closer, I could begin to see her more clearly, frantically pacing like a caged animal, calling out over and over again for her lost friend as she pulled at her hair, her clothing, anything to keep her hands occupied it seemed. Lissa was beside her, hugging the ward line closely like a safety net.

What surprised me most, though, was that I could suddenly see someone appear in front of Rose too. He wasn't completely clear, more like a mist, but even through the odd shapelessness of form, I could tell who it was.

"Mason, is Dimitri dead?" Her hands twisted in front of her, grasping her wrists and impatiently waiting for his answer as if her own life depended on it.

A shift in the silver was all I could see from the nearly figureless form, but Rose's features were much clearer. There was a flash of excitement; of hope even.

"Is he alive?"

The ghost moved once more and slowly, and Rose fell to her knees with a blank stare. Lissa took an instinctual step towards her before looking around at the growing shadows and stepping once more behind the wards lines as Rose began to clutch her stomach and gasp for breath.

It was nearly a whisper when she asked her final question. "Is he … is Dimitri a Strigoi?"

Of course, I already knew the answer to that. Yes, I was Strigoi. I wasn't dead, not really. Nor was I alive. I was... more. I could see, hear, sense more than ever before, even in the one day that I had truly been awake.

Rose just didn't understand that.

Her cry was horrid, a scream of anger and pain. A few rocks within her reach were the first victims of her initial rage, flying into the forest's edge as Lissa faded into her own shock, apparently coming to understand the news from Rose's reaction.

"Oh, Rose...I'm sorry...Guardian Beliko-"

"Get out."

Lissa's confusion was apparent as she paused in her attempts to comfort Rose over the matter of my 'death.' "What?"

Rose didn't turn to face her, but the tone of her voice said more than her blank expression would have. "I said, 'get out.' Go away, Liss. He doesn't need your apologies, pity, or sympathies now, and neither do I. You didn't even know him, did you? He was just another guardian to you. But he..." Rose's voice faded as her head fell and her shoulders began to shake in quiet sobs.

"Rose, please," Lissa pleaded one last time, "It's getting dark."

"I said go away!"

And with one last screamed command, Rose was left alone, distracted by her grief over my altered state.

Emotions had clouded my mind before, left me vulnerable and weak, and now Rose was in the same position. I had a brief moment of gratitude that I was the one who was able to take advantage of it at this moment and not one of the others that I had been with before. Not knowing her potential, they might simply kill her without another thought. The thought of her dead sent a flare of anger in me but I quickly calmed it knowing that I now had the power to make sure that death would never have hold over my Roza.

I could keep her by my side for eternity. I could make her stronger, more powerful than either of us had ever dreamed of before. I could give her the freedom we both wanted.

But for now, I just needed to wait a little longer. The sun was barely peeking over the hillside, leaving just minutes before the sunset. While most of the forest was darkened enough to move about, she was still covered in a halo of the sun. As soon as it dipped below the crest, I would be able to make my move. I could already see that Rose was unarmed, and even if she had been, it was clear that she was in no position to attack. I would make the bite quick and as painless as possible. It would be over before she even knew what was happening.

The last seconds were agonizing, each one feeling like a separate eternity as I watched her just a few feet away from me. As soon as I could move freely, I felt the spark of action start to energize my bones in anticipation. I wasn't able to make it a single step towards her before a familiar ghostly form materialized directly in front of me, though, blocking my path. While he didn't look solid enough to actually stop my progress, there was something about Mason's presence that kept me still.

Perhaps it was the way that he dared to stand against me, even when he must have known that there was nothing he could do. He was dead. He was literally a ghost; nothing but spirit. What power did he think he could have over me?

But yet I didn't move.

The look in his eyes was a threat. Silent, but a threat just the same. Through them, I could still see Rose's huddled form, her face in her hands, but I couldn't glance away from the steely gaze that Mason held me in. It clearly said that he wasn't going to allow me to do anything to Rose, even if I felt it was in her best interest. He was going to protect her, even from beyond the grave.

A memory swept over me, cold and alone, huddled on a stone bench in the daylight. A one-sided conversation with a voice from the past.

" _...I didn't know you well, but I know you loved her. We have that in common..."_

" _...Don't worry though. I'll be there for her from now on. I'll protect her like you did..."_

I had promised to protect her like he once did. Like he was now doing...from me.

A step forward from me did nothing to the specter but encourage him to straighten up further. He didn't fear me at all, not one bit.

I began to feel my rage burning inside. She was _mine_. How _dare_ Mason stand in my way. Rose had always been mine and the only reason Mason had even been allowed to get close to her in the first place was by my grace and allowance. Now he thought he could simply come between us?

Another loud and anguished cry turned both our heads, causing us both to take one step forward towards Rose. Mason immediately put a hand out to stop me and while it went through my arm, the chill it sent through me was like ice, chilling me to the bone and beyond. It was uncomfortable to the point of pain and froze me in my tracks. He shook his head disapprovingly.

"I can stop her pain," I insisted in a hushed whisper, but he shook his head again.

"She will barely feel the bite, the pain will last a moment and then she won't have to suffer ever again. Don't you want what's best for her? She'll be strong, she'll be nearly immortal."

He looked at me with almost pity.

"She'll never have to die. She won't end up like you!"

I don't know if it was the look in his eyes, the sound of Rose's tears, or the quiet voice in the back of my mind, but I was overcome with a singular thought at that moment.

' _There are worse things than dying.'_

I stared at Rose a while longer, Mason's arm at the ready to stop me if I should make even a hint of a movement towards her again, but eventually I made up my mind.

"Fine. She's safe. For now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back everyone! Did you miss me? I certainly missed you :)
> 
> Now, let's get down to some business first. While I would love to promise weekly updates, I'm not going to. Strigoi!Dimitri is really hard for me to write. Like, I have broken down more than once trying to. I've had to shut my computer off, go hug my kids, and come back later trying to write him. He's not the same Dimitri we know and love. He's hard and terrifying and he'll only become worse as these chapters go on. Because of that, and the fact that the first half of this book is from my own imagination, it's very hard to write this story. I'll try to keep up with a good schedule, but if I fall behind, please forgive me.
> 
> Second, keep and eye out for other works. I'm writing little drabbles here and there to try to keep my mind from falling into Strigoi!Dimitri depression.
> 
> Finally, this week's Question of the Week: What's your guilty pleasure book? I would have said VA (you know, YA vampire book? Totally fits the bill...) but seeing how I've practically made a career out of writing fanfic about it, I think I've lost all rights to call it a "guilty pleasure" now. I think another one I still love to read when I'm having a bad day and just need a pick me up is Ella Enchanted. I loved it at 9 years old and I love it now.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Don't forget that this is a new story and if you like it (I hope you do) you'll need to favorite and follow. Let me know what you think of our new journey in the reviews :)


	2. Chapter 2

I could feel that need again, that deep hunger pressing inside me. It was constantly gnawing at me night and day, but after 60 hours without blood, I was all but mad with the need to eat.

It had been stupid of me to stay behind when Nathan and the others had left, but I had been so focused on getting Rose, no matter how insane that goal might have been, that I hadn't been thinking clearly. Interesting how starvation gives you clarity. Unfortunately, starvation is also a slow process and they were long gone by now. They had cell phones, transportation, and a full escape plan. I had nothing but the torn clothes on my back, a card with a phone number that Nathan had given me for when I "wised up and needed him", and a general sense of direction of where to go next but no real idea what to do when I got there.

Without sustenance, my energy was beginning to wane. The academy was miles from civilization for a reason. I knew that it was about a five-day long hike, at least, to the nearest large city with an airport, but I hadn't thought about the need to find a smaller town between now and then. I could smell animals nearby and while the thought disgusted me, I was almost at the point of desperation. Practically any living creature would do to curb my thirst when I caught a whiff of something. Like a mirage, I almost thought I had imagined it at first but a moment later the scent was carried back on the breeze.

I quickly turned North, following the scent like a wolf on the prowl. Over hills and around trees, through bushes and creeks, following the smell of fresh blood as it pumped through the veins of a man. As I grew closer, I could start to detect that it wasn't just the smell of one person, but two: similar but not quite the same.

Eventually, I could see the small gray and orange tent among the foliage. A small fire smoldered nearby, probably put out a few hours ago and now casting a smokey scent over the entire area, but even that couldn't drown out the smell that I had been craving for days. The campground was otherwise fairly quiet. Whoever was resting inside was probably fast asleep, unable to hear me over the lull of the nearby stream and their own snores.

I placed my steps carefully, watching for loose twigs and a lone chocolate bar wrapper that had been left outside before unzipping the tent. Like lifting the lid off a cooking pot, my mouth watered instantly and it took everything in me to not growl out in ravenous hunger.

As expected, I saw two sleeping bags, and I made my way silently to the first. I had been without feeding long enough that I knew I could easily drain both people. Without knowing where or when I would find my next meal, it would probably be wise to do so too. Stealth would be my companion today.

The man, human, barely had time to register my presence before my hand covered his mouth and my fangs pierced his neck. He cried out once though my hand muffled the sound. A quick flash towards the other form showed that it continued to lie still and unmoving. I was surprised by the amount of fight in him for a simple human, but he eventually succumbed to the endorphins, and then death. I fed until his heart stopped beating and then some until a sound distracted me from my prize.

A small whimper sounded, and a child looked at me in fear. No. Fear didn't come close to describing it. Terror. Complete and utter terror. He was young, perhaps seven or eight, maybe even younger with the way he cowered from me making him look so much smaller.

His father dropped from my arms with a dull thud, landing on the cold hard ground with absolutely no sign of life. I could see the child look to the corpse for some sort of salvation and finding none, he began to panic. The age old tale of prey and predator had started. Lion and lamb, fox and rabbit, wolf and deer. Vampire and Human. He looked towards the tent door, but even if this little rabbit could escape, it would only be for a moment. He wouldn't live long.

When I had him in my arms, though, a thought broke through.

_'He's only a child. A terrified child.'_

And he was. He was shivering in my arms. Death was all but certain for him and I think he knew it at this point. There was no hope for anything else. He was crying, but not begging. I could hear him whisper for his father under his breath, but he didn't ask to be spared.

So I gripped his face in his my large hands, making him look at me. His eyes closed, but I held him firm until they finally opened a moment later in morbid curiosity. I could feel his pulse beating wildly under my hands and it drove me crazy just thinking about it, but I stared him down until his eyes met mine and the moment they did I spoke.

Calmly and carefully, I told him, "Everything will be okay. You'll see your father soon. I promise. Everything will be okay. Do you understand?"

His eyes glazed over slightly and his head moved gently in my palms as he nodded, but most telling was the steady drop in his pulse as he relaxed.

"Good," I smiled, watching him return the gesture. "I promise, this will be over soon."

And then with a twist of my hands, he was gone.

His head lolled back, eyes open wide, not even aware enough to register surprise before I had killed him. There was still that trusting smile, a false product from my compulsion. Part of me was in shock of what I had done.

This wasn't the first time I had dealt death. I had done it dozens of times. It had become almost natural to kill. Even as a Dhampir, I was becoming less and less affected by the fact that I could end a life quickly and efficiently. That was what I was trained to do, right? And since being awakened, it was literally a need to survive.

But taking such an innocent life...

Killing with my bare hands...

Luring someone to trust me and then killing them with no remorse at what I had done...

_That_ was power.

I could feel the adrenalin rushing through me, my own heart beating faster at the possibility of what I could do and what this could mean for me in the future. Yes, this was a child, weak and easily swayed but eventually I might be able to compel anyone to anything.

I dug into my kill, my prize, tasting the reward of my victory. His blood was sweet, the way that veal and beef were the same yet still so completely different. But there was also significantly more effort to drain him as well, both with him already being dead and with him being so much smaller. While the resulting carnage wasn't nearly as bad as my first kill, he was bloodied a bit more in the end than his father had been during the process.

The campsite did provide a few more helpful aid too, beyond my first decent meal. After cleaning myself up a bit with their well-stocked supplies, I was able to change. The father hasn't been nearly as tall as I was, but his shirt fit well enough to work under my jacket and it was significantly better than the torn and bloodstained one I had been wearing. Thankfully, the pants I had been wearing before fared a bit better in the battle several days before. Black tended to hide blood well.

Second, a quick look in his wallet gave be a couple hundred dollars and a few credit cards. It may not last for long, but considering I currently had no cash whatsoever, it was better than nothing. The cooler the duo were carrying was still packed with food and full of ice so something told me they weren't expected for a few days at least. Nobody would notice their death for a while so as long as I didn't go on a crazy spending spree, I would probably okay using the cards for some other needed supplies.

Finally, a set of car keys made for the ultimate grand prize in this treasure hunt. The Jeep that they belonged to would shave days off my trip North and would make travel significantly nicer. I could even use one of the sleeping bags to block out the sunlight if I needed to stay in the car itself.

The plan was to head towards Missoula, and from there take the earliest flight out to St. Petersburg. I didn't know how I was going to get there, but Russia was familiar and familiar was the best I could ask for right now. That, and Nathan left me a phone number to find him with that contained a Russian Country code. There was a local area code too, but I couldn't remember exactly what it stood for at the moment and the man's cell phone wasn't exactly in range to pick up a signal to search for what it was or make a call, even if I could break through his passcode.

So until then, my goal was to put as much distance between me and Roza and to get back to my most natural habitat. I took whatever I felt could be useful from the campsite, leaving the cooler of food and tent open to the wind in hopes that the scent of blood and food would draw more large predators to cover my tracks, and took off following their tire marks towards the road.

* * *

It took another day to finally reach my destination, only because I had to hide from the sun. I was able to find a small town along the way that allowed me to pick up some fresh clothes, a suitcase, and everything else I was missing before the sun made it above the horizon with plenty of time to check into a motel. As soon as dusk fell, I was off.

The final hurdle was the actual ticket to Russia. A last minute ticket would cost several thousand, even for the cheapest option. That would be more than the cash in my pocket and certainly, cause a red flag on the card. However, there was another option. Several tired business men were hustling their way in and out of the doors to the airport, and while it wasn't nearly as busy as some airports I have seen in the past, it was busy enough for what I was looking for. All I needed was one person.

I searched for the weakest of the bunch, the way a pack looks for wounded before striking. I found him as he tripped over the curb, dropping his rolling bag, briefcase, and coffee all at once. Instead of anger or annoyance, his countenance flashed with misery and self-loathing. Perfect.

I rushed over, helping him pick up his bags as he wiped the hot liquid from his jacket, apologizing as if he had somehow offended me with his mere presence.

"I'm such a...God. I swear, this is my third flight this week and I'm starting to think they just want to keep me out of the office."

"Oh? Where are they sending you this time?" I replied, handing him his briefcase and smiling while carefully hiding my fangs behind my lips as I had seen Ivan and others do so many times in the past.

"China. Nanjing, specifically. I'm doing another customer service trip. Where are you going." He looked up, somehow honestly curious it seemed, or perhaps needing some actual human contact. Either way, he was seriously mistaken in choosing me.

"Russia. St. Petersburg." His eyes began to cloud over as I continued, "And you are going to buy my ticket, okay?"

"Of course." He nodded, as if my request was the most obvious thing in the world, and for a moment his eyes flashed to my mouth but I quickly shoved his briefcase back towards him.

"Don't worry about that. Now, let us go see about our tickets, shall we?"

* * *

Getting the ticket was easier than I thought it would be. The only bump in the road was the issue of my passport but a quick smile and word of compulsion was enough to smooth over those edges. It certainly would have been easier to fly on a private airline, I'm sure, but as I relaxed into my first class leather seat with extra leg room and the complimentary glass of champagne I didn't worry. It was a one-way ticket after all, so I wouldn't have to deal with this nasty airline business again. I didn't know his name, but my wounded gazelle did well with the upgrade. It's too bad that he wasn't going to make his final destination, but hey, at least he wasn't going to have to worry about any more business trips.

Now it was just a long 23 hours until my destination. With a drink in hand, western in my pocket, and several less than subtle looks from the flight attendant, I was pretty sure I was going to be just fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for helping me get this story off to a GREAT start! It was amazing to see all your support. I know this chapter and the last were somewhat shorter than what you are typically used to from me, but I promise that they will get back to normal length eventually. Right now is more about getting Dimitri to where he needs to be and building his story as Strigoi.
> 
> And we are getting darker. This was the chapter that really started to break me. The thought of Dimitri, who not only valued life but also loved children and secretly kept the idea of having his own one day would kill a child was too much for me to bear for a day or two.
> 
> On a happier note, here's this week's Question of the Week: What book did you expect to like, but didn't?
> 
> I'm a huge fan of The Life of Pi from Yann Martel. Some of you who know me (or read me profile) know this. I expected I would like his follow up novel, Beatrice & Virgil. I disliked the book so much I couldn't even finish it. It wasn't badly written, it just was completely boring to me.
> 
> Thank you again for all your support through this new journey. Your reviews brought me a ton of comfort while writing this week and I appreciate all your encouragement. If you haven't done so already, remember to favorite and follow and you can find me over on Tumblr as gigi256 and I run VAfiction as well :)
> 
> See you all next week.


	3. Chapter 3

In Russia, things were easier. The familiar language surrounded me like a quilt, though it was almost distracting to hear so many conversations going on at once and being able to understand them. At least when they were in English, I could effectively tune them out as mindless chatter. Now I could hear everything – even better than before – and understand every word of it. While not nearly as appetizing now, the smells coming from the local restaurants were a welcomed treat as well. I may not be interested in what the _shops_ were turning out but the food, my food, was certainly plentiful in St. Petersburg as well. I watched as a small group of older University students ducked into a pub as another man, older and clearly a few drinks in, stumbled as he walked out the same door. It would be easy to find my next meal among the hustle and bustle of this large city.

However, there was still the debate of whether I wanted to stay on my own or to seek out Nathan as he suggested. While it wasn't common for Strigoi to live in packs – especially large packs – for very long, it had proved quite effective in attacking the Academy. They had totally overwhelmed us. Assuming they were the same group that had massacred the Badicas and Drozdovs, they had killed those groups with little to no casualties on their side at all. Who knows what they were capable of.

The chance of finding them today was slim to none, though, especially while I was still without a phone. Thankfully I could get that fixed fairly quickly. In a large enough city, you could find practically anything you needed. A throwaway burner phone with no contract around one corner, a decently clean, private hostel room for a week around another. I could probably go for something a little more high class, but it was easier to stay under the radar surrounded by backpackers and university students seeking to "find themselves" among the vodka and all-night clubs.

My first couple of days were fine. I was able to meld into my little community without anyone batting an eye. Some of the hostel workers recognized me and would wave as I came and went, but I was otherwise ignored. I had no interest in interacting with the other forgettable faces where I was hiding through the daylight hours.

However, the night was mine. It was a rush, leaving to find my prey and stalking them like the hunter I was. The first day, it was a blonde human man rushing between people with his eyes stuck on his phone. He only looked up to shout obscenities at people he nearly ran into, including other pedestrians, before his fingers went back to their furious typing.

Following him was child's play. There was no entertainment in it whatsoever. However, watching him realize he had been cornered, slowly but strategically moved away from the public and into a back alley until nobody could hear his desperate pleas for help. That was satisfying. It wasn't nearly as satisfying as feeling the life drain from him, though. He wasn't powerful, or not nearly as powerful as he felt himself to be, but stealing what little power he had was still enthralling.

I had lived around self-righteous men all my life. People who had thought they were better than me for one reason or another. They always found the smallest reasons to place themselves on a pedestal over one another, and people like me were the lowest of all in their eyes. I had been taught to bend my will to theirs and submit, even when they proved their obnoxious stupidity over and over again. I was considered nothing to these men. Now, they were nothing to me.

Nothing but a body to fuel my rampage.

I was the powerful one now, and I felt more God-like with every drop of blood I drew from him. I controlled his life and death, holding him at the brink of what was fatal before stealing the last moment of mortality from him.

* * *

The third night was where I found my obsession. It wasn't the blood. It wasn't the power. It was _her._

I should have known better than to think that my immortality would change me so significantly that _she_ wouldn't eventually find a way to work her way into my life. Roza would always be there somehow.

Of course, this girl wasn't Rose. She was a dhampir. Her hair was similar enough; dark, long, with waves I could imagine running my fingers though. She didn't have the same muscled body of a trained guardian but she had obviously taken care of herself. More likely than not she frequented one of the Moroi bars here and served as a blood whore. The longer I followed her, the more dhampirs and Moroi I could sense until I lost her in a sheltered warehouse.

By the looks of the dozen or so others I watched going in and out of the same unmarked door, this seemed to be one of the handful of underground Moroi clubs in the area. I knew they were around but I had yet to seek them out. There were more than enough humans wandering the streets at night, I didn't feel the need to find a "high-end" meal.

But I was entranced by my Rose look-a-like. I waited as people came and go, watching for her and only her. She stayed inside for hours, but I had all the time in the world on my side. The frigid cold felt like nothing against my skin, the stillness felt naught in my bones, and the one lone woman desperate enough to approach the solitary man in the darkness was quickly told off and wasn't seen in the area for the rest of the night.

Eventually, she emerged, but not alone as I had hoped. I shouldn't have been surprised, considering what I had pegged her for earlier. Still, seeing someone so Rose-like on the arms of someone else did nothing but elicit a primal need to make it known exactly where my territory lay.

The intoxicated Moroi man had an arm slung over her shoulder, practically needing to be supported by his "date" for the evening. He didn't seem to have a guardian with him, so beyond his bite, I couldn't imagine that he had much to offer the young lady. It certainly wasn't his charm she was after. While she laughed at his poorly formed jokes and flat-falling punchlines, it was pretty easy for anyone decently sober to see she was faking her enthusiasm.

After a few more attempts to get an address out of him, she finally reached inside his pocket. He jumped, devilishly smirking with a comment about her eagerness before she pulled out his wallet to find his ID and address. Before she could turn them in the right direction, though, I stepped out into their path.

"Whoa. I didn't see you." The fool began to laugh under his toxic breath again, irrationally amused by his own observation.

"I'm not surprised. With how much you've drunk tonight, I doubt you could see your own hand at the end of your arm, much less beauty that you've somehow managed to grab tonight. I'd say you're a lucky man, but I think we both know that's not the truth."

Rose's mirror scowled at me but the Moroi beamed, completely unaware of the underhanded slight towards him.

"Luck had nothing to do with it. A little smooth talking and the pretty ones just fall at my feet. Isn't that right..." he looked at the girl with a blank face that spoke his final words for him.

It appeared that Rose had seen this before from the men she frequented because it didn't faze her in the slightest, but it was the final straw for me. I clapped the man on the shoulder, holding him steady as my leg snapped out towards his knees in rapid succession. The alcohol dulled his senses so he didn't even cry out until both were bent unnaturally backwards and he was already falling to the ground in a broken heap. I caught him by the scruff of his unkempt hair, holding him just high enough so he could see me.

"If you plan to bite and bed a girl, you really ought to remember her name."

He nodded frantically, instantly sober and taking my lesson to heart before I smashed his head into the cobblestone alley. His body twitched once or twice, eyes wide and blood pooling where his skull lay open, but his death was done.

"You...you killed him." The girl was pressed against the stone wall, as far as she possibly could be from me and the body.

"You were too good for him. He couldn't even remember your name. You deserved better than that."

"But...you just...you just killed him like it was nothing."

"He _was_ nothing. I've killed before." I stepped closer towards her, leaving the fullness of the shadows behind me.

Her back pressed somehow closer to the wall, seeking some escape before backing herself into a corner. There's no way this girl ever had any proper guardian training. "You're Strigoi!"

"I am. And you're trapped." My voice was steady, simply stating the facts.

Like a rabbit suddenly realizing she was in a snare, this pseudo-Rose frantically looked around before bravely staring me down, allowing only the briefest tremble of her lips to betray her fears. "You're going to kill me too, aren't you?"

"Probably." I watched her a moment, considering. She seemed brave, facing me like this. She looked somewhat like Rose. Maybe I could make do with her. Or maybe I would always find her lacking.

_One way or another, this Rose would eventually die by my hands._

"Yes, I'll kill you." Rose's shoulders dipped slightly at my reply but she stood firm as I traced the years of scars along her neck. "But before I do, I'm going to give you the best bite of your life. I need to know something first, though."

"Yeah?" I could already feel the blood beginning to pump faster through her veins in anticipation of what I had just promised her. "What's that?"

I brushed her dark hair aside – so close to the locks that I remembered so fondly, but not quite right – exposing her neck. "What's your name?"

* * *

Nothing can last forever. Not even for the immortal. My time in St. Petersburg came to an end faster than I thought it would when I learned why solo Strigoi were nomadic creatures by nature.

I was able to hunt on my own a few more days, but when I was driven to return towards the club I had found Annika at, I got too cocky. I should have gone for another wounded gazelle, but I saw another man with someone who didn't look like Rose but had her laugh. Perhaps I could have let it go, but the man was a dead ringer for that bastard Ivashkov. Perhaps he was some long lost cousin of his.

I knew that with me out of the picture it wouldn't take long for Adrian to start chasing after her again. He probably wouldn't even wait until the funeral. Hell, he might even ask her to be his date _to_ my funeral. He was relentless and loved to rub it in my face any chance he got. Now he had nothing standing in his way to her. How long would it take for her to finally give in?

She deserved better than I could give her, at least back then. Now, though...now I could give her something he never could. I could give her immortality. Power, riches, those could be won. Immortality could only be earned and Ivashkov didn't have what it took.

But I did. And one day, Rose would see that.

For today, however, I had the chance to work out a little frustration on his relation. I came at him quickly, tearing the girl away roughly and going for the kill without fanfare. I had barely had a chance to taste his blood before I felt my body pulled back and a burn rip through my shoulder.

I had felt that burn before, hot like the sun and stinging like acid on my skin. It was a silver stake. In my search for jealous vengeance, I had neglected to even look for a guardian and my stupidity had nearly cost me my life. Thankfully the guardian seemed as uninitiated as I was to his new lot in life and had only grazed me. It hurt like hell, but it wasn't a mortal wound.

He didn't wait for another strike, seeking the opening I feigned and taking the bait like a fish to a hook. I twisted his arm, doing my best to ignore the pain his stake caused as it slid against my arm and dropped to the ground. As soon as it was free, I ripped his shoulder from the socket, dislocating the arm incapacitating him. While most guardians are taught to fight with both arms for just such an occasion, taking out a primary arm is usually more than enough to bring a fighter down. A few broken ribs for good measure and he wasn't able to do much more than lay on his back while I sucked his charge dry.

The red head with Rose's laugh had been smart enough to run at the first sight of me. If I had to hazard a guess, this might not have been the first time she had been confronted with a threat on this side of town, and with instincts like that, she would probably last longer than most people in this area, no matter if they were human, Moroi, or dhampir.

The Moroi man, not so much. He wouldn't live to see the morning light, and he knew it.

"Please. I'll give you money, cars, anything."

I smiled, walking towards him as he begged for mercy. All I could see was Adrian on his knees and pleading for his life. I had to admit, it was a pleasant sight.

"I have powerful friends. I can get you anything you could want. Just let me live." He was in tears now, the well-kept man that girls swooned over looking like nothing but a pathetic child.

I crouch in front of him, still casting a shadow over his huddled form. "There's nothing you have to offer me because all I want is to see you dead and to personally drain your every last drop of your blood."

His hand stifled something pitiful sounding, caught halfway between a gasp and a sob, but the glint of reflected streetlight on his wrist caught my attention most. I fingered the golden cuff links, etched with a familiar family crest – one of twelve I had been required to memorize in school – and smirked.

"Goodbye, Ivashkov."

It's true what they say: Moroi blood really is the most satisfying. Human blood will do the job. It will fill your belly and quell the thirst but it never fully takes away the craving. Dhampir blood will make you feel strong, the way a healthy and filling meal would before I was turned. I felt like I could train for hours, full of energy and completely nourished. But there is something about Moroi blood that is completely different. It makes you feel powerful; like you can take on the world. And according to some, the more "pure" or royal that Moroi blood was, the more powerful it would make you feel.

Perhaps it was their magic, perhaps it was something about their biology in general, but there was something in their blood that made them the ideal prey. I could see why Strigoi had hunted them to near extinction before, and would continue to hunt them forever. It was addicting to feel that power flow into you as they slowly lost that fight with life. It was almost as addicting as humans found a vampire's bite. Almost, but not quite.

My victim was nearly gone, the last of his life just a glimmer of light in a long dark tunnel, when I heard shouts coming towards me. Someone had called for backup. I don't know if it was the guardian or the girl, but whoever it was, their reinforcements were closing in fast.

Two against one was much harder than the initial battle I had faced. These guardians were also much more experienced than the boy before. I left with more scrapes and a near miss. In the end, I decided to leave with my life rather than my dignity.

* * *

I nursed my injuries in the dark of my private hostel room. Most would be healed by morning, but the deepest marks would need an extra day or maybe even two to fully heal. I had stolen some of the first aid supplies from the shared kitchen before hiding away and wrapped my shoulder as best I could on my own. The only other large gouge was one on my back and that would have to heal on its own since I couldn't reach it by myself. It could probably use some stitches while the cut set but that would have been just for my own comfort and unfortunately not a possibility at the moment. I laughed sardonically, grateful that Strigoi seemed to be even less prone to infection than both dhampirs and moroi combined. While there was very little known about their daily life and physical nature outside of battles, they did bounce back from their wounds pretty quickly. Everything else the Moroi world "knew" about Strigoi was half hazard guessing based on very little recon over the past few centuries and campfire stories that were passed down and altered over time. It wasn't as if there was a reference book or expert I could call up for advice in my new lifestyle.

My phone sat temptingly on the otherwise bare nightstand. There _was_ one person I could call. My stay at the hostel was quickly coming to an end and unless I wanted to offer up another couple thousand rubles or so for a few more days, I needed to decide what I wanted to do next.

I had figured out a general location for Nathan based on his local area code. Novosibirsk. That didn't narrow it down too much, considering that Novosibirsk was the third largest city in Russia. Still, it was still only a fifth of the size of St. Petersburg.

I picked up the phone, testing its weight as if it would somehow help me weigh the options before me. Calling now would be like calling for help; not admitting total defeat, but almost proclaiming that I wasn't strong enough to make it on my own. Perhaps it was partially true, but only in the sense that I didn't want to be on my own. I knew there was strength in numbers. I had seen it with my own eyes. I had survived by myself and had proved it possible, but I was also smart enough to know that I didn't know the ins and outs of this new lifestyle and could profit from some additional education. And who's to say that I couldn't eventually outgrow that pack in time, but for now, it would be for my benefit.

However, I wanted to join them on my own terms. I wanted to come from a place of power, not wounded and holed up in a room awaiting rescue.

So, with my decision made, I tossed my phone aside, made plans to pack my meager supplies tomorrow, and start the drive to Novosibirsk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, I missed you guys. I hope you enjoyed the little break as much as I did, especially since that last chapter was pretty intense. I know a few of you had to step back from the chapter before finishing it, but I truly hope that I didn't lose any of you for good. I wish I could say that the worse of it was over but seeing how we are only on our third chapter...I make no promises.
> 
> As for my break, I attempted a fun camping trip with my family and a couple of friends. If you follow me on Tumblr (gigi256) you might have caught what happened, but I ended up with severe heat stroke. FYI, make note of any really odd symptoms your medications might have, such as the inability to handle heat normally (a.k.a INABILITY TO SWEAT LIKE A NORMAL HUMAN BEING!) so you don't start vomiting or pass out in 100+ degree weather no matter how much water you drink. Don't worry, besides freaking my kiddos out for a while, I was fine. We finished our group camp out at our home, with air conditioning, pizza, board games, and tents in the backyard for the little ones. The best part? I got to sleep in my own bed :)
> 
> So, for this week's Question of the Week, let's go with the opposite of last weeks: What book did you expect to hate, but end up loving?
> 
> Believe it or not...Vampire Academy.
> 
> I totally read it on a whim because someone had suggested in passing. I had the first one downloaded on my eReader as I started a vacation and the other book I had actually planned on reading was a disaster, end of the world type book. Well, when the disaster book started with planes dropping out of the sky while my own plane was starting to take off... I decided to give that YA novel a chance. I ended up downloading the next five on a layover and finished the entire series by the time my vacation was over. The first book wasn't my favorite TBH, but Rose and Dimitri kept me intrigued enough that I needed to see what happened to them and their story. I couldn't give up on them by book two and by book three I was hooked.
> 
> I'm very interested to hear what you have to say! Follow me on tumblr at gigi256 and VAfiction, and don't forget to favorite and follow this story. See you soon!


	4. Chapter 4

The moment I pulled into Novosibirsk, I felt like I could relax a little. I didn't like the sense of being out and in the open. The more people I started seeing, though far less than what had surrounded me in St Petersburg, the more comfortable I became. I could blend in better, becoming a part of the background. As soon as a decent crowd had built up around me to cover my presence in mindless chatter, I called the number that had been in my pocket since Montana. It rang twice before the other end answered.

"Кто это?" the voice demanded, not bothering with niceties and requesting my name immediately.

"Dimitri Belikov."

The voice, whom I could only assume was Nathan, chuckled lowly recognizing me instantly. "So you finally decided that you couldn't make it on your own and now you what? Want us to send you a plane?"

"No, I'm in Russia. Novosibirsk. I believe I'm pretty close so if you'd be kind enough to give me the next directions on where to meet you..."

"You made it to Russia on your own? I must admit that I'm impressed Belikov. I wasn't sure you'd survive the first day on your own and yet you managed to make it all the way here. Let me know where you are and we'll send someone your way."

I would have preferred an address and to come to him, on my own terms, but I could tell that it was a calculated move on his part not to give me that information. Instead of fighting or pressing him on the issue, I gave him my general location and the name of a local restaurant that seemed to be fairly popular by the heavy traffic pouring to and fro.

It took almost an hour for my phone to ring. I didn't give the harsh greeting Nathan have given, knowing who was already on the other end. There was only one person who had this number, so I simply answered.

"I'm here. Meet me in the lot behind used bookstore."

I tugged my lip against my bottom fang. If that wasn't a sketchy sign of impending trouble, I didn't know what was. The used bookstore I passed was about a block away, surrounded by other businesses closed at this hour. It would be abandoned right now.

I had fallen to Nathan before. Perhaps if I had been at my absolute best when I had met him before, not tired, injured, and worn from several previous battles I might have been able to take him with a better turn out. However, as a new Strigoi, he was also able to humiliate me before my first feeding. I had been weak without blood. The older a Strigoi was, the stronger they were. Nathan would always be older than me, and he might be stronger than me still.

But what choice did I have?

I could stay on my own. Many Strigoi did. I tapped my leg a few more times, solidifying my previous decision. I had come here to join him and the others. I had spent some time on my own and decided that the power was in the extra numbers. I wasn't going to give that up because of a small fear of a dark alley. The residual guardian training of not going into a dark alley alone at night was simply kicking in. I wasn't a guardian anymore, I was Strigoi. And Nathan had given me his number for a reason. Why would he betray me if he had given me his phone number in the first place?

My anxiety didn't let off as I left up as I left the sanctuary of the streetlights. When Nathan didn't immediately appear where I expected him to, I palmed my phone to call him again, debating between that and shouting out to him. I didn't have a chance to do either before the sound of pebbles on the pavement caught my attention. I turned just in time to see a wooden board coming at me.

I dodged left, missing a possible concussion by an inch or two and countering with my own strike within milliseconds. It wasn't the blond hair of Nathan, but the obscenely dyed pink hair of someone much younger. She must have been only fifteen or so when she had been awakened, but her youth was a fierce weapon. She was small, fast, and easily underestimated. I had learned to stop underestimating young women long ago, well before Rose. You didn't grow up in a house full of them without learning how hard they could fight when they wanted to.

The next swing she made, I grabbed the board and twisted it out of her arm. Either it or her wrist cracked. It didn't matter either way because she roared in anger as I picked her up and threw her into the nearby wall. I needed to get her out of the way as two more opponents started towards me.

These men were much bigger. One was nearly my size, and most likely a trained fighter before Strigoi. The other was shorter, but a second opponent would make this that much more difficult. I broke the traditional status quo, taking the seemingly weaker opponent first by using him as a shield against the first. Granted, this required breaking his collarbone first to get him in position before snapping his neck to keep him out for good. It wouldn't kill him, not in this state of undead, but it would take him quite a while to get back on his feet.

The other man, slightly shocked to be hitting his partner rather than his intended target, was off put for just long enough for me to get in a strike of my own. Without a stake or any other weapon capable of truly killing him, I was left to do my best to incapacitate him with my own physical strength and a little bit of dirty fighting.

It wasn't the proudest moment of my fighting career, but I went for the groin first to stop him. He was on the floor after a few seconds and a sweep to his leg, and I had him pinned, gouging his eyes with my thumbs.

I waited for another attacker, adrenalin pumping, but I didn't hear the sounds of someone else rushing me. Instead, I heard...clapping?

Nathan approached, a sly grin on his face while he gave a lazy applause. "That was pretty good Newbie. Amy and Erik are fairly good fighters and you took them out without trouble. I shouldn't be surprised, of course, you were a highly regarded guardian before, but I was expecting you to be a little malnourished. It seems like you are just fine. Why, then, are you calling on your sire?" Nathan's voice seemed more disappointed than curious. "Oh, and you might want to get your fingers out of Erik's face. Boss won't appreciate one of the soldiers blinded."

I removed myself as he groaned, but he was still bleeding and made no motion to get up, nor did anyone else. I knew nothing that I had done would be permanent to them, but it would probably take a few minutes, perhaps even an hour or so for them to recover fully. Had I been fighting a human, Moroi, or even another dhampir, I might have killed someone.

"Is there a reason why you chose to attack me?" I was less amused by Nathan's laissez-faire attitude than he was, but his tone changed the minute I questioned him.

"I gave you a chance to join us before, and you decided not to. You expected to simply come calling when things become tough? No, it doesn't work that way, Dimitri. I demand order here. If you want to become a part of the pack, you have to prove that you have something to offer us. Now, obviously you can fight, and it seems you have enough common sense and survival skills to make it on your own..."

"Does that mean that I get to join you and your band of renegades?"

"Ah, unfortunately, that final call doesn't stand with me." He offered a smile, but the feeling behind it was anything other than friendly. It didn't seem like this particular sign of hostility was directed to me.

"So who do I have to see for my official judgment?"

"As soon as these guys wake up," he pointed to his peers, who were starting to stir more, "I'll take you to her."

"Her?" My surprise must have been exactly what he was hoping for because his comeback was already waiting on the tip of his tongue.

"We're a _very_ progressive society, Dimitri. Try to keep up."

* * *

They blindfolded me about ten minutes outside of the city limits. We were heading east when I last saw a sign, but I soon lost track of how many turns we had taken and which directions we had gone each time. When we finally stopped, I estimated that it had been another half hour or so. They pulled me from the car and I assumed they would have me remove the blindfold but they continued to lead me down a winding path for another few minutes before doing so. When they did ask me to remove the cloth, we were in the middle of a large maze of decorative shrubs. The walls stood ten feet tall, dwarfing even me, but over the edge of the top, I could see the peak of a roofline belonging to some large structure. I could only assume that this was our final destination.

Nathan and the others strode confidently in the general direction of the building, mostly heading towards it, but occasionally taking turns in the twisting labyrinth that led away from it without worry. I tried to memorize their path but it was nearly impossible to do so. Footprints in the ground seemed to overlap one another too, contradicting the path we were walking, too.

"Don't bother. There are several ways to get in and out, but most will only get you more lost. We have men walking the maze several times a night to wear down the paths so trying to follow footprints won't help. Plus, several walls are false and can be moved so while this path might work _now_ , it might be completely useless in an hour."

"Interesting." _Paranoid_.

We did eventually make it to the end of the garden, opening up to a large open paved area, still caged in by the same hedges all the way around until they disappeared from view behind the estate. Window upon window, all covered in protective film and heavy curtains, lined the old stucco facade and the giant oak doors at the top of the front steps seemed more imposing than welcoming. It spoke of incredible wealth, especially for a group that was essentially flying under the radar.

The men and woman living in its safe haven looked at me in curiosity, not exactly in malice, but certainly questioning my presence. Nobody stopped me or those with me to question why I was there. I saw mostly other Strigoi, but I was also surprised to see a few humans mulling about. I started salivating instantly, regretting my decision not feed while waiting for Nathan and the others back in the city. Something told me it would be bad manners to attack without invitation before I was officially accepted into this odd congregation, though, so I resisted my innate desires and only hoped that eventually hospitality would win out at some point.

While the exterior of the building was aged, inside was much more up to date, mixing traditional items like marble fireplaces and some of the original architectural trim with ultra modern light fixtures, high-tech surveillance equipment, and other details that you wouldn't expect from what would otherwise be considered a barbaric race of bloodthirsty creatures.

Nathan led me past a majority of what seemed to be the common areas of the estate, and back towards a hallway and a closed door. He knocked, waiting patiently for nearly a minute until a gentleman opened it, adjusting his top two buttons, and giving Nathan a nod.

"It's Nathan, and it looks like he brought a friend."

"Let him in."

I couldn't see the voice that called from the room, but the familiarity of it caught my attention. I knew instantly that I had heard it before, somewhere in my past. I began digging rapidly, trying to remember where I might have come across some powerful Strigoi overseer without my knowledge. The seconds I had to comb my two decades weren't enough to find a source though before I was met with the speaker herself and flooded with enough memories to make me feel foolish for ever forgetting in the first place.

I could hear her voice every time she yelled for me to push myself harder on the last lap of the track. I could see her signaling for me to set up for yet another set of exercises when the first three didn't meet her satisfaction, I could feel the pride when I finally met her rigorous demands and how it set me apart from my peers at the top of my class, preparing me to enter my career far ahead of most graduates.

How she had ended up here, staring at me now with blood red eyes was beyond me.

"Guardian Sinekopova." I addressed her automatically, dipping my head in respect for my former mentor even though it had been years since we had lost touch and even longer since I had seen her in person.

A low growl emanated beside me as Nathan's shock dissolved into some form of disrespect by proxy.

"Dimitri," she laughed, flipping back her hair that was now much longer than I had ever seen it before, "I don't know if I should be offended or flattered that you feel the need to still address me by a title I shed years ago."

"My apologies. I don't know how else to address you with the respect you deserve."

Her smile twisted into a smirk as she considered me a moment longer. "Charm becomes you, Dimitri. It doesn't seem quite as insincere on you as it does on some." I didn't miss the quick look she gave towards Nathan, and I doubt he did either. "Feel free to call me Galina."

"I believe I'm missing something here," he interrupted, "how do you two know one another?"

Galina gave a sweeping gesture before moving towards the seating area in her lounge, so I took over as we followed her. "Galina was my mentor while I was in school. She trained me to be a Guardian. I lost touch with her over the years, so I'm surprised to see her here, but I do believe that fate has smiled down on me."

She offered me a glass of red wine, the glass rimmed in a dark maroon liquid that was so thick it barely dripped down the sides. As I held it up in a toast, I could smell the bouquet of the wine more than I ever had before, every individual note that had been lost on me when my mother and sisters insisted I try some during holiday celebrations, but what truly made it was the tang of blood that complemented the sweet grapes and bitter alcohol. Still deprived of blood all day, it was quite a challenge to remain civil and not lick the glass like some beast. Instead, I sipped it, savoring the taste on my lips.

"I believe fate has smiled on us both, Dimitri."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I hope you had a wonderful week! And a Happy Fanfiction Author Appreciation Day to all the writers out there. If you put your heart and soul into your writing, no matter how popular you or your story is, or how often you post, or if you think you are any good, you WRITE and you are a WRITER. Be proud. I also wanted to give a big thank you to everyone who sent a little note to me today. You have no idea how much it meant to me (especially since I had no idea what today was lol) thanks so much, you guys are the BEST!
> 
> This week's Question of the Week is: Have you ever read a celebrity book, and did you enjoy it?
> 
> I haven't yet, but I would really like to read Yes Please by Amy Poehler and Is Everyone Having Fun Without Me by Mindy Kaling. They seem like fun (both the books and the people.
> 
> Also, I'm so sorry about the crazy update schedule. Not only is this book really difficult, but I'm also working on a few other special projects. Perhaps the most exciting one is a charity called More Smut/Stories to Save Lives. It's a charity started a few years ago to help childhood cancer and has raised over $15,000. I wish I could put links here, but if you search "MoreS2SL" on Tumblr, you should find some info on how it was started. Several authors, including me, will be submitting stories and readers like you can purchase the collection for $10. I'll have two stories in the set; one Romitri, and my very first Everlark! If you have any questions, please PM me and I'd be happy to give more information.
> 
> Thank you again and don't forget to fav, follow and review!


	5. Chapter 5

"I have to know, how did this happen Galina? Something tells me you didn't take on your change willingly."

"Hardly," she scoffed. "I was in Prague. The family that had hired me short term for their vacation didn't manage to secure the ward lines before we went to their vacation home but failed to notify us. It was a simple oversight but since it wasn't my team and I was just extra hired help, I didn't think to question the security manager. We didn't see the attack coming and while it was only a few rogues working together for a one time deal, they took us down without too much hassle. I and one other guardian were the odd men out on the team, hired only for the family's vacation, so we were seen as the expendable ones when the family fled." The bitterness in her voice was sharp, so much so that I could taste it myself. Or perhaps it was because I could sympathize with the fact that when it came down to it, the lives of guardians meant very little to those who held real power out there.

_But I hold the power now, not them. They don't control my life anymore._ The thought was satisfying; not quite hopeful, but certainly encouraging.

"They awakened us both, though Danial didn't last very long." The way she said his name suggested that she might have had something to do with his demise. "I set out on my own for a while, a few months actually, but I quickly realized that I would never really get anywhere on my own. The reason that Moroi and Dhampirs were always able to hold us back wasn't because of royal blood or magic or light or any of that nonsense, it was simply numbers. They had banded together and found strength. If we did the same, we could easily overpower them within a short amount of time. So...here we are."

"Here _you_ are," I amended, giving her credit for her accomplishment. "It seems like a logical enough idea, and one that shouldn't have been all that difficult to execute. I can't imagine you are the first to try to create an empire."

"Oh no, I'm not the first to try or succeed. I'm not in for world domination, though. Some want to overthrow the Moroi government or wipe out the royal lines. Some want to actually create a new world order or religion, believe it or not. Personally, I'm more interested in personal comfort and wealth." Her almost flippant attitude was a far cry from the rigid disciplinarian that I remembered. She had been harsh in training, though reasonable and direct, but now she was somewhat of a mystery. Even worse, she made me feel slightly wary as if walking among tall grass while knowing that somewhere there was a snake lying in wait. What I did know for certain, was that if Galina was a snake, her bite would be venomous. She always had been and always would be deadly.

"So, if you aren't in it for revenge or glory, why are you doing this? How are you doing all this?"

"All for the money and the power, Dimitri." She refilled her glass, offering both me and Nathan some as well. "As for my operation, it's two parts. We do some contract work here and there. We have plenty of men and when other operations are in need, we are happy to send volunteers for a hefty price. My men get paid, and we earn some nice brownie points with the larger community. As for the majority of my business enterprise, I'm only willing to share _that_ if you plan on staying with us."

Signing my life, my new found freedom, so quickly to someone else again so quickly gave me that gut twisting feeling. I hated the thought of being underneath someone else's thumb, but I also knew that it was my best bet at getting what I needed. Looking around at resources, or at least the signs of resources, that Galina had was enough to convince me that this was the most logical option for me. With the bad aftertaste of possible regret, I agreed.

And the smile she offered immediately afterward was enough to give me some misgivings. The stakes that Nathan seemed to be sending my way didn't help any either.

"Well, welcome to the ranks, Dimitri. However, before I can trust you fully, there is a small formality that we'll need to get out of the way."

"Paperwork? Confidentiality contract?"

A small laugh burst through, breaking her nearly perfectly made up face. "Not exactly. This is a bit more intense than that I'm afraid. I demand total loyalty from those who work for me. I demand an oath of blood."

"Blood?" I had never heard of Strigoi drinking from one another. In Moroi culture, it wasn't just frowned on, it was considered completely taboo – not quite cannibalism, but akin to it. Dhampirs occasionally allowed themselves to be fed from but it was typically done with very sexual connotations and that in and of itself made the act something dirty and rarely spoken of in polite company. In fact, the only time I had ever witnessed something like this done with complete selflessness was when Rose gave her blood to Lissa freely to give her strength while they were on the run and when she needed to heal Christian.

"Forgive me, but this sounds highly unorthodox."

"And your constant questioning is getting less endearing by the moment." Galina finished the rest of her second glass of wine in a long swallow, before leaning over the arm of her chair. "Out of fashion, perhaps, but blood is how our kind has been bound for centuries. Longer even. The only reason the Moroi choose not to seal their promises with blood today is because they have taken a more gentle approach to living. It has made them weaker in the long run, but it is to our advantage so..." Her words drifted off with a flit of her painted nails. I had never seen them manicured before and I remembered the way Rose had treated herself at Court, later commenting about how silly it was when the paint chipped so quickly in practice soon after. It seemed like the luxuries of pristine, polished nails were no longer outside of my former mentor's realm.

"Even guardians once promised themselves with a blood oath, Dimitri. Surely that must be something even you can appreciate."

While Nathans tone was belittling, he was right. My grandmother told stories of the golden age of Guardians, long before even her time, when Moroi fought alongside their guardian. Guardians swore their allegiance to a Moroi with a blood oath, with families of Moroi and Dhampirs often being raised side by side and friendships being formed young with strong bonds. They were treated as equals, rather than livestock to be traded on a whim or cannon fodder to be sent to die when convenient.

"I've heard stories, but some fairy tales are too fantastic to believe. Honestly, I'm a bit more surprised _you_ knew of them."

He shot me a glare, mumbling something about "Moroi History" before Galina cut him off.

"Children, please, squabble on your own time. The question is whether Dimitri is willing to give himself fully to the cause?"

I had come this far, already leaving what I had known before and traveling to this compound. I knew that if I left, I likely wouldn't make it very far. I was beginning to suspect that Nathan might even aid in my demise if I tried to leave at this point. I had even gone so far as to already agree to join her, so what was a blood oath at this point?

I quickly bit into my wrist, just as I had seen Nathan do moments before he had turned me, and offered it to my hostess.

My gift was met with a moment of silence before she and Nathan both broke out in pitying mockery.

It was obvious that I had made some unknown faux pas but my self-preservation was the only thing that kept me from lashing out in frustration at being the butt of their joke.

"Oh, not here. This deserves witnesses. I think it's about time we introduce our newest warrior to the house. What do you think, Nathan?"

He was still obviously thrilled about my screw up, but he silenced his laughter to agree with her and offer me a hand. He reached into his jacket pocket for a handkerchief, monogrammed with those same initials I remembered from the cave and offered it to me for the blood now dripping down my forearm.

"Don't worry, we'll get you a pack of these for you. If you still feed like you used to, you'll need them."

"Feisty?" Galina called over her shoulder, waiting by the door.

"Brutal." He replied. "It's been a while since I've seen that much carnage in a single kill."

"Hmm." She looked me up and down. "That's promising."

Nathan opened the door for her and she waited a moment longer, giving me another once over before stepping through and leading us through the halls. She pressed a few buttons on her phone and a series of chimes rang out through the halls, followed by the sound of people moving together until we finally entered a large, white marble hall.

There were much more Strigoi than I had initially anticipated, maybe close to seventy-five or more. That wasn't including the human support she had around the estate as well. I had expected a few dozen tops, maybe close to the number that had attacked the Academy minus the casualties they had suffered. Now I saw that that had only been a small portion of Galina's forces that she had contracted out. Plus, I assumed there was a portion of her forces that I didn't see here too since someone had to be guarding the compound.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new member joining our ranks today. Dimitri Belikov is an old friend of mine, a student from my old life. Rest assured, we can expect great things from him and I expect you to treat him with the utmost respect. He comes to us from St. Vladimir's Academy and the successful breach of their security." Several cheers roared over her voice and she waited a moment for them to calm, "He's traveled on his own to finally swear his oath to our cause." The cheered returned once more, louder than before.

This time, she addressed me personally. "Kneel, Dimitri."

My hesitation was noticeable, but only to her. While I had once trusted her explicitly, it was becoming clearer by the moment that the woman I had once known was not the same person requesting my fidelity now. My mentor had been one of few words, not speeches to raise others to some army. She had been one of frugality and necessity, not obscene luxury.

One thing didn't seem to be different, though: she wasn't one to show mercy.

Her eyes held me strong as I refused to bend a moment longer, holding out in stubbornness. I could see why she wanted witnesses; not only did it serve to build excitement in her household, but it also kept those who were being forced to submit from falling out of line.

Knowing that it was no use postponing any longer, I bowed before her, barely catching her pleased smile before dipped my head. I was about to offer my wrist again when her hand caressed my cheek in an almost maternal way. Galina might have been the closest thing I had to a mother while at the St. Basil's, but I would never call her maternal in her dealings with me before. She had doled out advice on occasion, but it was very matter-of-fact and never with the loving gentleness that someone like Alberta could offer. No, this gesture was a wolf in sheep's clothing.

The moment the thought ran through my mind, her fingers were in my hair, ripping my head to the side and exposing my neck with the same roughness that had taken me to the mat time and time again as a child.

One of the interesting things to note about a Strigoi's bite is that while it could be incredibly blissful because of added endorphins, it doesn't have to be. It can also be incredibly painful. Excruciating, even. It was totally in the hands of the giver. On humans, dhampirs, and Moroi, we can use compulsion to alter how terrifying or pleasurable the experience is. With one another, I would learn, it was just a matter of adding the endorphins or not in the actual bite.

In a power play of her own, Galina chose to test me.

I had to hold back from attacking when her fangs dug into the flesh of my throat. I could see Nathan and several others step closer as my own snarl sounded at the surprise assault, though I was sure that Galina was more than capable of dispatching me on her own if she truly wanted to.

But as she stole her blood price, the cost of her oath, my hands clutched at the fabric of my pants. My teeth grit together, desperately blocking any other sound from escaping. It was only a moment or two of pain, and I had suffered far worse, but the fact that I had to sit and take it without fighting back was agonizing. It wasn't nearly as humiliating as when she finally pulled away, though, patting me on the cheek with a quiet whisper that only I could hear.

"Good boy, Dimitri."

Dogs. That's what we were to her.

Nathan was right at her side a moment later, her little lap dog, with a blood-red handkerchief for her. She patted herself primly, looking more like some form of royalty than anyone I recognized from my past. Only when she was done cleaning herself up, did she seem to notice me again.

"Rise, Dimitri, and join our ranks."

The hall cheered for me, or because of me, or simply due to excitement. I couldn't care less why they applauded at that moment. I was more concerned with what I had just happened between Galina and me because it was clear that while I initially thought I had walked into some good luck, I now feared that I had walked into a death trap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Everyone! I know many of you were hoping to learn more about Dimitri and Galina's relationship more and I hope this answered some questions. We will learn more about their shared past as the chapters continue. I've been having fun with her character thus far, and I plan to continue playing with her more.
> 
> This week's Question of the Week is: How do you organize your books? At this point, my books are very randomly organized. I use to be pretty meticulous about it but I haven't been very good about keeping order about it since moving into our new home several years ago. At least I have my series together. Maybe one day I'll be awesome and do rainbow organizing or I'll just go back to that alphabetical nonsense.
> 
> Just a reminder that if you don't have an account and are writing as a guest, I can't reply to your amazing reviews. There were a few of you who replied to this chapter and the last that I would have LOVED to reply to and chat on a more personal level but I have no way to reach out to you. Either way, thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts and I love hearing from you :) I hope to be able to say thanks very soon!
> 
> Thank you again for reading and don't forget to review, follow, and favorite. Also, to everyone in the USA and Canada, Happy Labor/Labour day!


	6. Chapter 6

**Please read author's note at the end! You don't want to miss the chance to read my original Vampire Academy & very first Hunger Games Fic!**

* * *

Galina showed me her true work the next morning. She hosted one of her clients in the same room that I had met her in yesterday, but instead of being dressed in the rather casual manner as she had been when we chatted before, she was now wearing a tight black skirt, her hair pulled back in a tight bun, and was flanked by two guards who looked almost as intimidating as she did. I had expected her client to be another Strigoi, perhaps someone whom she could trade services with and schedule another large attack on a high profile target, but my senses warned me just in time to keep me from totally exposing my surprise from our guests. A Moroi Lord, one whom I had seen before in Court, though hardly someone who could be high ranking on the political scene, walked in flanked by a very uneasy guardian.

My hackles went up instantly, preparing for an attack. Guardians and Strigoi were natural enemies, just as Strigoi and Moroi were predator and prey. Despite being severely outnumbered, he was likely to attack and defend himself and his charge, even if there was no possibility of survival. It was only when I saw that he had been properly disarmed that I felt a smug sense of peace knowing that he stood no chance and that he was at such a disadvantage that he may not even bother to do anything but beg for mercy.

"Stephan. Thank you for coming. I hear that you are interested in our insurance policies."

The guardian's mask broke for a moment, eyeing the Moroi for a moment before returning his gaze to the room and each of us in turn while his master spoke.

"Yes. Several of my colleagues have spoken well of your services. They said I should speak to you about the terms, however."

"Did they speak to you how the agreement would work?" She walked towards him, prompting the guardian to step forward and press his charge behind him. Galina just laughed, laying a hand on his shoulder as if to prove just how powerless he was. Sensing the tension from the other Strigoi in the room, he wisely stepped back.

"Lee, behave. We are guests here and I expect you to act as such. Forgive him, Ms. Sinekopova. He's a very capable guardian, but occasionally a bit brutish for polite company. It's a curse among guardians." The hasty apology earned him a sidelong glare from several of us, including Galina and myself, that he failed to notice as he continued. "But yes, as I understand, I pay an annual fee and I earn a certain amount of protection and the promise that at some point I will be granted immortality."

"There is, of course, penalties if you don't pay. We grant leniency once, with an increase in your fee, and then you and your contract are terminated."

"You'll kill him?" The guardian, Lee, finally spoke up in shock.

"Yes. It's just business, no malice intended. As long as he pays, he'll be fine and once his set term limit is up, he'll be awakened. No payment, no awakening. It's all in the contract and he can sign of his own free will."

"And if he doesn't? You'll just let him walk out of here? What's keeping you from killing us right now?"

Galina looked towards a few of her guards before setting her eyes on me. "You hungry, Dimitri? Feel the need to feed?"

I shrugged, leaning back against the wall and crossing my arms as I watched the guardian brace for my attack. "I could go for some blood." The truth was that I had fed both last night and this morning. I hadn't been able to drain either of the humans that they let me drink from, but it was enough to keep my blood lust from taking over.

"The only thing that is keeping these men from killing you both is my word. If I allowed it, I'm sure they would gladly kill you, and trust me when I say that they are more than capable of doing so. However, it's not good business to kill our guests and business partners, and if Lord Ozera here would like to take a look at the contract here and decides that the arrangement isn't for him, then he is more than welcome to walk away. The only thing he'll lose is the consulting fee."

"Nobody told me there would be a consulting fee" This was the first time that Ozera had actually sounded upset about the arrangement.

"You didn't think I would give you my time and location for free now. did you, Stephen? I'm a busy woman and I can't just have anyone walking through my door asking for my services."

"So tell me, just how much is this supposed fee?"

"One million U.S. dollars."

Lord Ozera would have cried out indignantly if he wasn't gasping instead. Even I was a bit shocked by the amount that Galina was suggesting, though it did serve to make her estate a little more understandable. A few clients like this each month and she would have more than enough to cover her business dealings.

"That is ridiculous. You can't seriously expect me to pay that much for a simple meeting. I haven't even looked over the contract yet! How much are the annual payments?"

"$250,000 annually."

"So you expect me to pay four times that much for just today?"

"I can offer an option to pay less cash, but you must offer me something in exchange."

"Anything. Name it."

"Lee."

The pause was heavy, waiting for the rest of us to catch up with her.

"Excuse me?" The named man in question was the one to actually voice his concern.

"I want you, Lee. You seem like a capable fighter, or suitable enough to be trained if needs be. I believe that is worth half a million alone."

"That's ridiculous. No guardian is worth that much."

Galina practically hissed at him, and I could hear several other low growls from around the room, including one emanating from my own chest.

"It's your choice. You can pay one million, or give up Lee. I don't care either way, but you have until tomorrow at sunset to decide. Until then, would you please escort these gentlemen to their rooms, Zachary? A feeder will be brought to you soon, Lord Ozera, and we'll have a meal sent up to you as well, Lee."

Lee didn't fight at all as his charge was roughly manhandled out of the study, following without prompting from the guard at his side as they were led up the staircase to the guest rooms.

Soon it was just me and Galina left in the study, and she flipped through a few pieces of paperwork before acknowledging me.

"Insurance? Sounds like you've made yourself into a regular mob boss." I was only half joking, and I'm sure she knew it.

"Perhaps, but I try to keep things as organized as possible with proper contracts and healthy business practices. If I put a few entitled Moroi in their place, so be it."

"How many of them actually choose the million over their guardian?"

Galina had yet to look up from her papers, but she finally paused and set them aside to speak to me properly when I asked her this. "One in ten, maybe less. It's probably closer to one in fifteen, honestly. It's why the roads in this area are so dangerous and prone to Strigoi attacks."

I shook my head, disgusted at the way these people would treat those who were sworn to protect them, but not surprised that people who would sell their souls would trade the lives of others as well.

"Honestly, I choose to see it as a service, Dimitri. They're better off here then they are with men like them anyways. Perhaps you can help Lee see that. Go speak to him today."

"You want me to convince him to be tur- awakened?"

"That's not up to us to decide, but it will be much easier for us to have Lee on board if Stephen decides to go the cheap route. I've seen men like Ozera before. They're self-important pricks who feel entitled to everything. He'll probably feel like a new Guardian will be an upgrade after Lee, and will never think of him again after he is gone. I'm already praying that he'll be one of many who can't make his payments and is torn limb from limb."

"You said that there was one chance for leniency?"

Her eyes glazed, searching for a moment in the past conversation before remembering her words. "Oh, yes. They can miss one payment but it costs them dearly."

My silence pressed her forward.

"It doubles their annual payment and costs them another guardian." She said it so nonchalantly, as if it was no big deal, but the amounts of money she was speaking about today were more than I had ever dared to dream about, much less actually see at one time. Still, I nodded as if I was just as nonplussed. "Typically, they don't last long after that. Maybe a year or two? Then if they don't pay, it's death and it's not swift or painless. It will be good to see him die."

I could already see Galina planning his death, and there was a part of me that wanted to have a hand in it as well. I had no personal slight against the man, but his disdain for Lee was enough for me to hate him in principle.

"I'll speak to Lee," I promised. I'm sure he would want to eventually taste his charge's blood if it came to that as well.

* * *

My room was the peak of luxury, more than anything I had ever had the chance to experience before. The short lived hotel stay at Court was nothing compared to what I was enjoying now, and anything I had ever called home had paled to that hotel suite. While I had yet to give my space any personal touches besides the few books I had purchased in St. Petersburg before arriving, it was already equipped with a living area, including a sofa, a decent sized television, a bookcase with several classics in both Russian and English, a separate office area, and a full bathroom suite. Plus, despite not needing sleep, there was a bedroom that included a large king size bed. While I knew that there were several men and women who enjoyed the company of one another, I wasn't interested in partaking at this time. It was a decent place to just lay and daydream, however, allowing my mind to wander when I had a moment to myself, occasionally needing a shower afterward.

Rose was still on my mind constantly, but Nathan had promised a trip to a local club nearby that was known for blood whores who weren't picky about their clients as long as they got their bite. And, as Nathan put it, they took both parts of their namesake seriously. I knew that I would have to get over Rose eventually, and perhaps it would take a good fuck to finally get her out of my system. Whether that happened now or later was yet to be seen.

Speaking of the devil, he was knocking at my door a moment later. Having him in my personal space wasn't ideal. In fact, it set me on edge every time he came by, which seemed to encourage him all the more.

"So, what do you think of Galina's operation?"

"Honestly, it's brilliant," I admitted. "Word of mouth keeps her going, but it also keeps things under the radar. If anyone reported it to the authorities, they either wouldn't believe them or would arrest them for consorting with Strigoi. Either way, it's continual income coming into the estate at very little upkeep."

Nathan nodded. "Plus, it brings in more than just new revenue. It brings in new manpower."

As a former guardian myself, I felt a bit bitter that a former Moroi was referring to traded guardians as 'manpower.' "Is that how you ended up here? Were you one of those rich boys who couldn't pay up? Or did you just have a very short contract before your trust fund ran out?"

Nathan eyed me with the same contempt I held for him. "Not quite. My father didn't have a second guardian to offer when he missed his payment, but he did have a newly graduated son right out of business school. Galina considered it a decent trade. I'm not an amazing fighter – though good enough to take the Great Dimitri Belikov down, may I remind you – but I can offer quite a bit of business and strategic advice when needed."

Perhaps in a past life, I would have felt sorry for him, or offered some form of apology even if it was only half sincere, but now I didn't bother. Life was what it was, and there was nothing we could do to change it. He was where he was and so was I; why bother feeling sorry for ourselves or one another?

"She wants me to speak to Lee, to let him know that life here won't be so bad. Just in case."

"Are you going to?" He didn't bother looking at me while asking, barely taking his eyes off his task of fingering through the pages of The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. Something told me he had never actually read the Russian classic, especially since it wasn't nearly as popular as War and Peace, Anna Karenina, or Crime and Punishment, but I resisted commenting on it.

"I doubt I really have a choice. It seems more like a command hidden as a suggestion rather than an actual request."

The book shut with a snap, smiling fully to bare all his teeth proudly. "You're smarter than I give you credit for. Just do it quickly. She also _suggested_ that I take you out to hunt tonight. The feeders here will satisfy for a while, but I'm sure you're getting antsy."

My tongue ran over my fangs, almost sending a pleasured thrill through me at the thought of being able to actually hunt. To feel the rush of choosing my prey, stalking my victim, feeling their emotions through the pulse of their blood until their heart finally stopped and truly feeling the sheer power of what it means to be the hunter that I am. Being fed regulated scraps like a caged animal was necessary to Galina's operation and survival of the compound, but it was practically humiliating to be so close to having that ecstasy fulfilled and being pulled away like an adolescent boy pawing at a crush. It was hardly satisfying and the embarrassment barely made the effort worth it.

"Get out," I ordered, leaving little room for discussion.

"Excu-"

"I said get out. I prefer you not to go through my things while I'm gone."

With a nonchalant shrug, he tossed the book he had been fondling onto the coffee table, making me wince as it slid precariously close to the edge before coming to a rest and then he walked out the door. I followed him out, testing the knob to make sure it was locked before I made my way to the guest quarters. It didn't miss my notice that Nathan caught my little security check, and he made sure that I didn't miss the eye roll he had to offer in reply. If he was waiting for me to lower my guard around him, he would be waiting for a long while yet.

The guest quarters were on a floor of their own, with several security measures in place that would make you question their title. They were on 24-hour constant guard, both via an in-person guard standing post and a hallway security system. We did allow privacy in the actual rooms, but each room had a dual lock with two unique pass codes.

I pulled up the phone that Galina had issued me and placed my thumb on the circular pad before entering my personal security code so that I could access the room logs. We currently only had our two "guests", though we had the capacity for eight. According to some, there were some other accommodations that we could use as well, but they were much more primitive and didn't afford the same luxuries. Instead of room service and Egyptian cotton sheets, it was more like chains on the wall and iron bars in a subterranean hell hole. Those were just rumors though, of course. I doubted they'd give the same impression that Galina strived for, but they might still be pretty persuasive.

I entered the first door to Lee's room, waiting inside the center chamber for it to close and lock completely before starting the code for the second door that accessed the actual room. I was on guard entering, especially after seeing how he had acted earlier. I knew that he had been taught well and was more than capable of defending himself if he wanted to. However, when I entered, I found him laying back on the bed, one arm tucked behind his head, and flipping through channels until he found a soccer match. His only acknowledgment that I had entered was to announce that "Manchester United was going up against Liverpool" and to ask if I wanted to stay and watch.

As tempting as it was to watch the carnage that was about to go down, and especially since I hadn't been able to watch a decent _true_ football match since leaving a few years back, I had come with a purpose. American soccer wasn't nearly on par with the international game and American Football, while fun to watch in its own right, wasn't the same. It was a bit disconcerting seeing him so relaxed. He showed absolutely no worry at my presence or the fact that he was in no position to fend off a sudden attack from me if I chose to harm him. He was dejected in a way, already giving up on himself and his life.

"I need to talk to you. There's a decent chance that this will end up being your home."

He let out a tense scoff, rising finally to face me. "I know it will. You think that bastard gives a damn about me? I've apparently been nothing but a bother to him since the day that I was assigned to him and he's been nothing but a headache to me. Lord knows I've tried to apply for a transfer but they don't really get approved unless _both_ parties apply for one and while he has told me he'd love to have me out of his hair more than once, he's never had sense to go through the process of actually getting rid of me. I'd take a Gen Court job over him, an Academy job, hell, I'd even take a desk job if it would get me out from under that sleazy asshole's thumb. I never thought he'd stoop so low as to deal with Strigoi, but only because I never thought someone would actually be so stupid..." His eyes go wide as his rant stops suddenly and he realizes who he's talking to. "Well...Damn. Are you going to just kill me now then?"

"No. I'm pretty sure I can't kill the payment without facing some form of repercussion." His relieved laugh even makes me chuckle a bit.

"Is that all I am now? Not a guardian, not even a man? Just a form of payment?"

I pause, because while I know that the guest rooms aren't monitored with video or audio, that doesn't mean that whatever I say won't eventually get back to Galina. I don't want to lie, either. He deserves to know that truth.

"Right now, you're part of a transaction. It's humiliating, I'm sure, but no more than realizing that as guardians we are raised up, bought and sold, bred, and die like cattle. I'm told that there were a few of us that were even auctioned off after graduation, though of course this was all done without our knowledge or permission. We just did what we are told, right? That's what we were taught to do, promised to do, forced to believe was our 'role' in life. So yes, you are currently part of a transaction, but it could very well be the last transaction you'll ever find yourself in because after you are turned, you will belong to no one but yourself."

His eyes had started as slits, questioning me with hesitance and slowly opening in acceptance. By the end, he was nodding, silently agreeing with me and the possibility of what could await him. "But killing... I can't..."

"You will. You probably already have, right?"

"Only when I had to!" he argued.

"Justify it how you will, you'll need to for your survival. Kill those you feel deserve death if it makes you feel better. You can't kill Ozera, at least not right now, but maybe find men like him if it makes the job easier."

"Become some Strigoi Vigilante?"

I shrugged, knowing that even if he needed that crutch for his first few kills, the necessity of life would eventually win over.

"Honestly, this place isn't so bad. Surviving on you own is much harder. Yes, there are rules here, but they are mostly for the good of the whole and don't interfere with your day to day life. In return, you get a safe place to stay, feeders on hand, creature comforts, and the opportunity to make money pretty easy. Living on the outside has more freedom, but it also comes at the price of routine threats, hunger, and so on."

"And what do you think about Galina?"

"I've known her for years. She trained me when I was young and she's brilliant. It doesn't surprise me that she built an empire on her own." All this was completely true, without revealing too much.

But Lee was more perceptive than I expected, seeing through my words to the unsaid options behind them.

"Is she a good person? Do you trust her?"

The first question was easy enough. "We're Strigoi, Lee. None of us are good anymore. As far as trusting her...I gave her my oath." I could only hope that was enough to convince him.

"I'll do it. I'll turn, willingly, if Ozera takes the deal. Hell, part of me _hopes_ he takes the deal so I can finally be done with him."

I reached out, giving a firm pat on his shoulder as an early welcome to our ranks before he interrupted me.

"I would like to ask one favor, though: I want you to be the one who turns me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while, hasn't it! I'm sorry for the delay, but if you have been following me on Tumblr, you know why. I've been working on a wonderful charity project called More Stories to Save Lives. This charity brings awareness and raises funds for Childhood Cancer, and I've donated two stories to the cause. The first is my first "E" rated Romitri fic, and the second is my very first Everlark fic (which happens to be rated hard M/E as well).
> 
> If you want to access these stories before 2017, there is only one way to do so, and that's by going to www.mS2SL.com and click "our mission" to learn how to donate. A $10 donation will give you access to over 50 works of original fanfiction and fanart by amazingly talented people who have been working MONTHS for this project. Several of these writers and artists have done this for several years and have been a huge inspiration for me. I'm so glad to be working with them this year. Together we have already raised over $1000 and we hope to raise much more as the clock ticks down.
> 
> IF YOU WANT TO DONATE, YOU MUST DO SO BEFORE OCTOBER 11TH! PM ME IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS!
> 
> Question of the Week: What VA crossover would you love to see?
> 
> I'm already slyly working on a Hunger Games and VA crossover of sorts, and I have been for quite a while. I won't even begin to tell you when I think it might be done because it would only depress you, but if it ever happens I think it will be fun. Think of Romitri in the Hunger Games world.


	7. Chapter 7

The club that Nathan and the others took me to seemed similar to several of the ones that I had stalked in my single Strigoi days, and while there were a few Moroi here, it was clear that they weren't the clients, but the merchandise. Same with the dhampirs. There wasn't a guardian to be found, and the humans that had found their way in were blissfully unaware of the danger that lurked within their midst as they fed off of the energy radiating around them, washing it down with a healthy dose of alcohol just for good measure.

Our presence was noticed immediately, but nobody seemed to care. In fact, several of the women took note and immediately started flocking towards us, completely disregarding what should have been their natural instinct. Their short skirts, low necklines, and high heels didn't signal their intentions nearly as much as the sinister smiles on their faces and the series of scars up and down their necks.

Nathan didn't hesitate to grab two girls from the pack and led them towards a darkened corner of the dance floor where the private booths were located. A couple of the other men and women in our group paired off as well, including Marko with the bartender who signaled his partner to take over tending the bar before leading Marko to a door behind the wall of bottles, until I was the only one left.

"Shall we?"

I pulled my hand away from the long nails trailing down my arm, locking eyes with the girl attached to them. Red hair, green eyes, freckles. She might have looked angelic and innocent years ago, but that was long lost under the dark eyeliner, partially hidden tattoos, and barely concealed addiction masquerading as lust that she now bore proudly.

But there was also a spark in her eyes, despite the desperation she had for a bite. The spark that reminded me of someone else. That spark was what made me say yes, what made me take her by the shoulder and pull her close, teasing her just a moment with a kiss on her scars as she pressed her body against mine to let me feel everything she had to offer. It had been long enough to flood my mind with memories while feeling completely new at the same time.

I didn't hesitate in letting my hands wander over her body and she didn't resist in letting me know that I was free to do whatever I pleased. When my fingers cupped the swell of her breast, in plain view of whoever was willing to look on in the middle of the dance floor, she arched herself into me. It was my game to play, though, and she was smart enough to know that I was the one in control. She could bite that pretty, little, painted lip and bat those eyes all she wanted, but I would be the one who said when and where we would be going and what we would be doing. A firm hand against the back of her neck to pull her mouth against mine in a forceful kiss was just proof of that.

She moaned, melting into my body as my fangs tugged against her bottom lip. I could feel her temperature rising, the pulse of her blood rushing through her veins as we both began to get more excited at the possibilities of what would come next.

Still, surrounded by the bright lights, thumping bass, and gyrating bodies of onlookers was hardly the place to indulge in such luxuries. We needed something a bit more private for what we both had in mind.

Nathan sat in the semi-private corner booth with the two women from earlier, one already dazed slightly from a bite as blood trickled down from her neck as she poured drinks for them, while the other was perched on his lap and occupied with his lips. It looked like her bite would have to wait a while longer, but she didn't seem to mind at the moment.

"Is there somewhere quiet we can go?"

The girl, whose name I hadn't asked and didn't care to know, nodded and pulled me towards a curtained-off hallway that I had seen several of my party go towards. We passed several doors with sighs, grunts, and moans behind them before finding an open one. As soon as I had closed and locked the door, she was pressed against it, her slim body lifted off the floor and legs wrapped around my waist so that she could match my height.

I literally tore her top off her, making her laugh as the thin bands that held it together at the sides ripped to shreds and fell to the floor. She didn't know it yet, or maybe she did and just hadn't found it in herself to care yet, but she wouldn't need it anymore.

The pale color of her skin against mine should have been a contrast, but we almost matched with my deathly hue. Both of us were the color of cream rather than the tan I had once been, just a shade lighter than I had been against Roza's skin.

I pulled myself away from her breast, cringing at the unwanted memory. I was here to forget.

"Everything alright?" Her voice was breathless, obviously caught up in what we had been doing.

"Just fine," I assured her, nipping her against the ear as I took in her scent again to ground me in the here and now. It was easy to get lost once more as I felt her rub against me, allowing sensation and animalistic desire to overcome rational thought until all that was between us was our underwear. If I had allowed myself to over-think things, I might have related the moment to another time and another place where I had moved too fast, but unlike then this wasn't a lust charm built on a base of true emotion. This was a moment of pure carnal lust.

I was hard. She was willing. There was no reason not to press forward.

But I didn't.

"What's wrong? Looking for something else before we begin?" I felt her wiggle beneath me before her hand brushed against my erect bulge, slipping inside by briefs and wrapping around my length.

My eyes rolled back, shuttering slightly from the sensation of being touched by someone other than myself in what felt like forever. When her hand started to slowly stroke me, I heard the low growl in my chest I as began to thrust into her.

"There you go, Baby. You like that?" Her hot breath on my chest did nothing but heighten the sensations.

I couldn't even answer her. I was rendered speechless by the pleasure of her hand on me. I nodded, eager for her to continue.

"I could do something _else_ if you wanted." I felt something wet and warm across my heart; her tongue.

I groaned at the thought, letting my head fall to the thin and well-worn mattress beneath us. So long. It's been _so damn long._ I wouldn't have dreamed of asking Rose, especially not that first time...Shit. I was thinking about her again.

"No?" She must have taken the errant shake of my head as a reply. "Just as well. I practically have you coming in my hand as it is, don't I?"

I pulled back, hovering over her and narrowing my eyes.

Her pace didn't stop though as she smiled wickedly at me. "Big bad Strigoi at my mercy. I know just what you need. You aren't nearly as powerfu-"

Her eyes bulged as my hand wrapped around her throat, cutting off her words and oxygen. I felt her let go of me as her hands flew to try to claw at mine.

"Uh-uh," I warned. "I didn't say you could stop."

Her eyes widened in surprise at my words, but acknowledging them by slowly replacing them back to their previous task. As she started to slowly stroke me again I gently let off her windpipe, not enough to let her speak, but enough to let her breathe.

"Now, here's how things are actually going to go. You're going to finish me off, then I'll finish you off. Got it?"

She nodded as much as my hand across her neck would allow.

"And let's not forget who holds the power here. Now be a good little blood whore and earn your bite, got it?"

By now, tears were leaking from the corners of her eyes and her breath was coming in jerky little pants. I could smell the fear coming off of her and though it wasn't nearly as alluring as the pure lust had been before, there was some strange appeal to it too. I wouldn't actively seek it, though I knew some in the Estate that did just that. To say that her heart, mind, and body weren't quite in this anymore was an understatement. It would do the job, but at a price.

In a last ditch effort to salvage some pleasure from this bargain, I moved my fingers. Her scream quickly morphed into a moan and then a sigh as my bite and the endorphins took hold in her system. A sharp thrust into her palm reminded her of her job and it only took a few moments longer before I was grunting my release. A moment later and her hand fell limp as her heart stopped completely.

I rolled off her corpse, still warm but already starting to repulse me, and sat next to it with my face in my palms. It had been a passable fuck, but hardly worth the effort and I still had a body to dispose of. Lifting my head just enough to glance at the limbs spread across the dingy mattress and the mess of red hair, natural rather than dyed, I could at least take comfort in one thing: I was certainly getting cleaner about the whole process. I had hardly spilled an extra drop.

The thought earned an errant laugh as I stretched my arms high, working the tense muscles before rising to adjust myself. I knew that I would probably find Nathan in the hallway soon enough so I pulled my paperback out to wait for him outside my room. I had my fill of this place, at least for now. If I was going to hunt, I decided, I preferred my prey not throwing themselves at me. Maybe I was just old fashioned.

Nathan emerged less than ten minutes later from a room a few down from the one I was waiting in front of, alone like I was, and with a large grin on his face like a cat that caught the canary. It seemed that not even the sight of me was enough to remove it.

"Done already, Dimitri? You know it's not a race, right? Enjoy yourself a little!" He gave me a pat on the arm, one obviously meant to jolt me, but it did nothing to move me from my position on the wall.

"She ended up being a little less cooperative once we got in there." I shrugged, pocketing my book. "Made it work, though. Just want to figure out what to do with what's left." I opened the door slightly, letting him see the naked figure within.

"Dead?" he questioned, eyebrows raising.

"Dead."

"That's a shame, she was quite pretty. I wouldn't have minded a go myself, even if it was your sloppy seconds. Anyways, leave her pay on the bedside table and hang the red tab on the doorknob. Someone will collect her body and take her payment as compensation." He chuckled to himself. "If she was any good, feel free to leave a tip."

He laughed again at his own joke before retreating down the hall towards the pounding music and dancing again. I looked towards the room where he had left and noticed the red sign hanging from the doorknob, surprising myself that I hadn't seen it earlier when he came out. Several of the other doors also held red signs, and two or three held yellow ones. I wondered for a moment what those meant before letting the thought fall to the wayside and stepping into my room once more.

We didn't stay in the club too much longer after our business was done. Nathan used that time to explain why he had brought us here over a few more drinks, surprisingly brought by one of the girls I had seen Nathan with just hours before.

"Bite one, sleep with the other," he winked at me, sipping an old-fashioned. "This is one of the places that Galina has contracts with, allowing us to do business under the radar. No worry about Guardians or those damned Alchemists storming the place and asking questions. We are allowed to come and go as we please and get our fix."

"So there are others, then?"

He nodded, wincing at the strength of his drink. "Yep, that's why we're waiting on a couple of people. The orphanage down the street doesn't mind losing one or two mouths they have to feed each month as long as we are careful enough to keep our heads down and not be too regular about it."

The thought of those old tales my grandmother used to scare us with late at night flashed through my mind. Stories of Baba Yaga stealing children who wandered from their homes and into the woods without permission, or who were caught without being 'pure of heart'. But the Russian witch would help or hinder depending on who you asked and what lesson you wanted to teach your children that day. No, these nightmares were much more akin to the American Boogeyman hiding under your bed: always watching, always waiting, and the moment you thought you were safe enough to sleep...

"If it makes you feel better, a quick death might be better for some of those children. It's always overcrowded and underfunded. More die without our help than with it, and it's all too easy for them to play off our killings as just another death or run away."

The blonde who had brought Nathan his first drink brought a refill, despite his first one being half filled already and I stole it the moment it hit the table, downing half of it in a few gulps and relishing the burn down my throat. When she had the nerve to narrow her eyes at my actions, I gave a small growl and Nathan just laughed at our interaction.

"Bring him another, Natalia. Looks like he needs it more than I do." A slap on her ass was all the encouragement she needed.

* * *

Lee was left with us at the Estate, to nobody's surprise. He didn't look disappointed, or relieved. He just looked resigned.

I had gone to tell Galina what Lee had asked of me if this should happen, but she was one step ahead of me, as always. She had wanted to personally walk me through my first transformation, using Lee. A part of me was immediately expecting that I was to be paraded in front of the entire Estate again, shown my ignorance in such matters, but she assured me that for Lee's comfort we would be performing the transformation in the quiet of his guest suite. After he was inducted into the ranks, he would be given his own personal suite. The only people in attendance would be Galina, Nathan, Lee, myself, and a few other higher ranking members of the Estate.

She didn't delay the ceremony, though, setting it for only a few hours after telling me. I hadn't even had the chance to talk to Lee before I was being brought to his suite, though he looked plenty informed on what would happen. He calmly shook hands with those who entered, moving quickly to the sofa as Galina took command of his room.

"Now, Lee, have you ever been bitten before?"

"No, ma'am."

"Well, I can't promise it will be completely painless, but the pain will be short lived. A few moments at most before Dimitri's bite floods you with endorphins. He'll have to nearly drain you, and the less you struggle, the easier it will be for both of you. Then, you'll drink from him. That will be the worst part, but it will be short. You'll pass out, and when you wake, you'll be awake for eternity. Do you understand?"

He nodded.

"Any questions? How about you, Dimitri?"

Both of us gave a quick no, though I could feel my heart racing a little. I knew it was mostly nerves, remembering the moments from my youth as Galina explained a complex, new move to me. I knew that she would be instructing me from the sidelines like she did those years ago, adjusting my technique and all I would need to do was listen for her guidance, but there was the old pressure of not wanting to disappoint her rising up again also, despite the fact that it had been dormant for over half a decade now.

"Fine then, begin."

Lee gave a trusting smile, exposing his neck and taking a deep breath. The moment I bit down, I heard him grunt, but after that, there was nothing but silence. No struggle, just even breathing and a firm grip on the sofa.

I felt his blood wash over me immediately, flooding me with both thirst and satisfaction. I could immediately see why Galina wanted me to feed last night, just to sustain my bloodlust today, but I also could see that nothing would completely quell the desire to snuff out life entirely and claim it as my own.

Instead, I tried to focus on the flow of his blood, the beat of his heart, the sound of his breath rushing in and out of his lungs. All cues on his life and how much was remaining. There was no fear like my victims, but he wasn't so much a victim as a willing sacrifice.

It takes much less time than you would think for a man, either human, dhampir, or Moroi to die. Without the usual struggle, it was about two minutes, but I could feel his heart slowing considerably. When I tried to pull away, I heard Galina behind me.

"Keep going."

A few seconds longer, and I pulled up again.

"Not yet..."

_'He's going to die soon.'_

"Don't stop!"

"Ga-" Someone tried to interject.

"Not until I say so."

I waited for a heartbeat longer, before pulling away and tearing at my wrist with my own fang and pressing it to his mouth. His eyes were already closed but I let my blood drip onto his tongue, desperately hoping that there would be some sort of reaction. I looked towards Nathan from the corner of my eye, but by the way he refused to meet my eye told me more than I wanted to hear.

Silence filled the room for a while.

"Shame. At least you got a decent meal out of it, Dimitri. Follow your instinct next time." She turned towards the door, several of the others following in her wake. "Nathan, show him where to dispose of the body, will you?"

Nathan rolled his eyes, huffing in annoyance the moment the door shut leaving him, Lee, and me alone. He made a call, asking for a cart, and then flopped back on one of the chairs and turned on the television, all the while I stared at the body of the man who had trusted me.

"Oh, don't get too worked up. If she wanted to make sure he lived, she would have had someone do it who was a bit more experienced."

"I knew I needed to stop. I knew he was done." My voice was low, and while I knew he could hear me, the words weren't exactly for him.

"Then why didn't you?"

"She told me not to." I looked at him as if the answer was obvious. He was there; he heard her. "What was I supposed to do?"

He shrugged, grabbing one of the beers from the small fridge in the kitchenette and offering me one as well. 'Suit yourself,' was all he had to say when I passed and the rest of the time was spent in silence until someone showed up with a cart to help us load the body, toss it into a truck, and dispose of it along a quite abandoned road in the middle of nowhere.

I remembered my mother writing to me about how these roadways had gotten particularly bad in the past decade or so due to Strigoi attacks on passing motorists and I had to wonder if the stories were true or if it was just a mass dumping ground for Galina and her operations. Since there was very little in the way of actually hiding the body or any of the wounds, I was guessing the latter.

The moment I made it back to the Estate, I locked myself in my room and closed my eyes against the world. I tried to forget the day. I tried to forget the way that Lee had smiled at me before I bit him. I tried to forget the way his heart slowed. I tried to forget the way something inside me told me to stop and I had ignored it. And when I couldn't forget, I opened my eyes.

The chair hit the mirror, shattering both into cathartic shards of destruction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a harder chapter to write and I'm sure it was a harder chapter to read. Thank you for pushing through. This should be a turning point though, and we'll see some quick movement towards having Rose return to the story. I'd love to hear your thoughts on what Dimitri went through, both in the club and with Lee. Both were...difficult.
> 
> Also, sorry for the long delay in posting. I'm finally through with the MS2SL charity (Thank you to everyone who has read and reached out to me. We have raised nearly $3000!) and I'm happy to be back to work at Blood Promise. IF you have read either of my stories there, please feel free to leave a comment here. They mods for MS2SL apparently have allowed for some last minute donates to access the collections if you would like to read them (PM me to find out how). If you haven't been able to access the MS2SL stories, I will be releasing them on here January 11th.
> 
> Finally, wanted to get this chapter out to you because my lovely parents wanted to surprise me and my kiddos with a trip to Disney World! It will be a first for my kiddos so we are all extremely excited. I should have a small amount of writing time but I'm not going to promise a quick update on chapter eight, just in case.
> 
> This week's Question of the Week: What's the best family vacation you've ever been on?
> 
> Thank you for waiting patiently, reading, favoring, and following. A BIG thank you to everyone who reviews and shares. You guys are my sunshine on rainy days. I appreciate all the kind words and encouragement, and I love hearing your favorite parts of each chapter. Thank you again!


	8. Chapter 8

I played the game after that, falling in line like the good soldier Galina wanted to me to be. I pushed ahead when I needed to and fell back when I knew she wanted me to submit. Soon, I found myself rising through the ranks and further into her good graces.

I often went hunting with others and became stronger. I killed when she told me to, tracking down those who defaulted on their contracts and ignoring their pleas for mercy. I turned quite a few people until the process was as second nature as feeding was. While my personal collection of sires would never rival the estate that Galina had built, I had a decently impressive number in the couple of weeks I had been living there. None of them erased my mistake with Lee, and not all of them were sanctioned to become part of the estate, but knowing that I could bestow something other than just death was almost as powerful as taking a life.

The first time had I made the choice to awaken someone, on my own and without the gaze of Galina at my back, one could almost call it selfless. It hadn't even been forty-eight hours after Lee's eternal death and I had insisted on hunting – truly hunting where I could properly stalk my prey – when I heard the shout of a young woman in the darkness surrounding me. Perhaps it was old habits, but I ran towards the sound and found the young woman being accosted by a trio of men. All of them were human, and while the men were inebriated, it was clear that the girl had been simply trying to get home from work. Her uniform was now dirty and torn from being thrown to the ground and spat on, her desperate cries for help becoming weaker as her tormentors ruthlessly beat her and one prepared himself for something much more sinister.

I would hardly call myself a hero at this point, but it was also worth noting that several easy marks in a dark alley was worthy of a second glance as well. I had snapped one man's neck and had the other was pinned against the wall with my fangs buried deep inside his flesh before the any of them had even realized I was there. He was dead by the time the third man figured out what was going on amongst the commotion and ran, his belt buckle jingling unfastened as he bolted down the street in fear.

There wasn't much time to mourn the escape of my live meal when the quiet moan of the girl sounded from the huddled form in the corner. Had I been human like her and the others, I may not have even noticed the sound because it was so quiet. With her heart still beating, I made my way over to her, gathering her in my arms and brushing the hair and dirt from her neck so I could feed.

She only said one word, 'please', mumbling it quietly and with energy that was apparently quickly leaving, but it caught me by surprise. No desperate begging or anything like that, just a simple question. For all I knew, she might have just as easily been asking me to kill her quickly to take away her pain instead of asking me to save her.

So I agreed.

Her body tensed on the first bite, her hand clutching my arm before slowly relaxing. With her so weak I was almost certain that I would lose her like I had lost Lee. There was no way I would be able to drain her quickly before her heart stopped entirely. Somehow she was strong enough, though, holding on just as long as I needed her too. With a bite to my own wrist, I pressed it to her mouth and encouraged her to drink, forcing it when she tried to turn away.

She eventually passed out, just like I had, but awoke soon after. I watched in fascination as the injuries that she had received from her attackers healed while she slept, and smirked when the brown eyes that had questioned me before were now lined with a blood red ring.

Explaining to her the change and a world that had been nothing but a horrid fairy tale before that evening was the hardest part, but the moment she bit into the corpse of the man that had hurt her before, she was more than convinced of my words. I hunted with her that night, offering to show her the ropes and teach her the basic before parting ways. I knew that I couldn't bring her back to the estate, not yet. I hadn't earned the right.

But now, it was different. I was respected and feared. Not just for my own strength and power, but for the climb in authority I had managed here. In a matter of a few weeks, there were only a handful of people who could overturn my orders and I was quickly nearing Galina's second in command. Already I was something of a confidant to her, as I was someone she had familiarity with and she felt she could trust me with tasks that were both private and high risk.

While many simply accepted my new position in the house – especially because they had no choice in the matter – there were a few in particular that took issue. Namely Nathan. He especially didn't like being on par with me after he had, in his opinion, served faithfully for years under Galina. The fact that he had sired me was also bitter for him to swallow. He went out of his way to make sure I knew this too. Sometimes it was just dirty looks, sometimes it was childish words. On the rare occasion, it was a misspoken order from Galina that I would have to somehow scramble to make it seem like I had planned it to be for her benefit. I took pride in making those types of pranks blowing up in his face since nine times out of ten I could make them work in my favor in the end after he tried to make me look the fool.

When the rumors started echoing in the halls, everyone treated them like a joke. It was no secret that small groups of self-proclaimed "vampire hunters" popped up here and there. They had a long history and in Eastern Europe and Russia, they were almost as notorious as American "ghost hunters." There were even a few made up of rouge guardians or unpromised dhampirs that gained a little more headway than the human groups that occasionally found themselves up against Strigoi. Still, they all managed to fall eventually. Sure, a new one would eventually take its place, just like a weed, but there were more of an annoying nuisance than anything else.

But when Galina called me into her office, it became clear that the rumors were much more serious than anyone anticipated.

"Dimitri, it seems that you've made yourself some enemies."

My mind immediately flashed to Nathan, but I knew that several people both inside and out of these walls could easily want me injured or worse. "Powerful people usually do. I believe you've said something like that yourself once or twice."

A sly smile tilted her cheek at the hidden praise. "That's true, but this particular enemy intrigues me. Do you happen to know a Rose Hathaway?"

I tried to give no sign of recognition, but Galina was a master of reading even the slightest change. It was one of the keys to her success. She could probably hear the way my pulse stopped momentarily at her name if the way my teeth grinding together didn't drown out the sound.

"Ah, so she _is_ familiar."

"A name from my past, I assure you. I've had no contact with her since being awakened."

"You will soon. That little band of unpromised hunters is being led by Ms. Hathaway and they are apparently all too successful at both torturing and killing the Strigoi they come across. It seems like she has a single-minded goal," she turned to me, but I already knew what her next words would be. "You."

I wanted to tell her it was impossible, but I knew that nothing was impossible when it came to Rose. She was stubborn and smart and if she wanted to find me, she would stop at nothing until she did so. It shouldn't surprise me that she was in Russia looking for me, especially when she had all but promised to do so less than a year ago. What should have surprised me was that it took this long for her to eventually track me down.

"How did she figure out where I was?"

"She hasn't, at least not yet. She captured Marlen, tortured him and questioned him about you. When she learned that he knew of you, she gave him a message and let him go."

"A message?"

"Yes, that she coming for you."

I bit my tongue, cutting off some curses that wanted to bubble forth.

"I must say, you don't look surprised. Should I be worried about her?"

Her question was clear. She wasn't worried about _Rose_ ; she was worried about me. Did Rose compromise me?

"No. I'll take care of her. She was a student that felt like she had something to prove, nothing else."

"You will. Take care of the situation and make sure nothing like this happens again. I can't have something like this disrupting the cogs in our machine. Every piece must be in place for us to run smoothly. You have two weeks, and I highly recommend finishing it sooner."

She left me alone in the study after that, and the moment I heard the door slam shut and her heels fade in a series of clicks down the marble hall, I collapsed into the leather chair. The curses that I had held back before fell freely now, and when they finished tainting my tongue, I washed the bitter taste down with a double shot of whatever was inside the first bottle my hands grasped from Galina's private bar.

How could she be here? How did she even make it all this way? She should have been safe at school, with her friends. Guardians should have been watching her. She was smarter than this.

But that was also the problem. She was smart enough to do _exactly_ this. If anyone could figure a way to get to Russia, even without all the proper paperwork, it would be her. She had lasted two years on the run with Lissa in tow, so a few weeks by herself, even in a foreign country, wouldn't be that much of a challenge for her. It didn't even surprise me that she had managed to rally a group of unpromised to follow her in hunting me down successfully. What surprised me was that I hadn't anticipated any of this happening. That I thought I could run and that would be the end of it. She was brilliant, and I was the idiot who underestimated just how stubborn she could be.

But now that she was close, I didn't have the luxury of ignoring her anymore. Either she would find me, or I would find her. I had to make sure it was the latter. There was one last option – someone else finding her before I did – but that wasn't something that I could allow for many reasons. She was mine and mine alone.

"Rumor has it you've screwed up royally now." Nathan stood in the doorway, arm crossed as he leaned against the wall.

"It's nothing more than someone with a vendetta. And it seems like this place has a habit of turning a simple rumor into something much more. It's almost like being at the Academy again."

He scoffed, brushing away the jibe. "Who would hold a grudge against you? You haven't been here long enough to do any real damage."

I ignored him, not bothering to stoop to his level of childishness. I had bigger things to worry about. That seemed to aggravate him more, but with nothing to feed off of, he suffocated in his silent brooding.

"When's our next hunt?" I asked, changing the topic.

"Tomorrow, but we're hitting Solyanka Club again. Galina wants us off the streets for a few days until we can figure out what's going on with that whole vampire hunter situation."

I grunted, in frustrated acknowledgment. I couldn't blame our tireless leader for the order since none of us wanted to have members of the estate killed during someone's quest to find me, but I could only put off my own search for Rose a day or so before I would have to set out on my own to confront her. After a moment or so of pondering on that thought, I stood, nodding a silent farewell and left.

Alone in my room, pacing back and forth like a caged tiger, I tried to think some more. I needed to find her. I needed to find Rose before she found me. Standing out in the open like prey with a target on my back wasn't going to work. She would strike me without a second thought. I wasn't ignorant of what she had come here to do. She had promised to kill me, to "free" me like I had promised to do for her if the need should arise. Never had I thought that I would be reveling in my new found immortality and the glory that came with it.

No, I would have to find her first. I would have to...

Could I?

Could I really kill her?

I didn't know, honestly. Killing her wouldn't be like killing the others. I couldn't pretend to be detached like she was just another victim of the hunt. There were times even now when I was on the prowl that I had to pause because I caught sight of someone who looked vaguely like her (though now, I wondered about some of those moments) so actually feeling her neck under my fingers, her blood running across my tongue, her pulse hastening or fading at my will...

I coughed, adjusting myself even in the privacy of my quarters before falling onto the couch.

There was something else I could do. It would be bold, defying Galina's orders and surely what Rose would want as well. Both women would probably fight tooth and nail against it, but perhaps they could be convinced. One more easily than the other.

But first, I had to find Rose.

I spent the rest of that evening drenched in thoughts of her like I hadn't allowed for weeks. Every moment, every image, every nuance that I had tried to suppress since my awakening was brought forth anew and I lost myself in the sin of it. I tried to remember her scent so that I might track her, in lieu of having something tangible to use. The spicy perfume that Adrian had bought stood out occasionally, but I remembered _her_ and the way we both smelled like sweat and musk after hours of training. It would have been offensive to some, I'm sure, but it was something that marked us as guardians and hardworking ones at that. Neither of us cared. I remembered the smell of her shampoo, something crisp and fresh. She didn't lean towards the flowery stuff that my siblings had preferred.

Of course, I couldn't help but remember the smell of us, together, after that night. The small cabin smelled like sweat and sex, completely carnal, with undertones of a crackling fire. Anyone who had walked in, even after we were dressed would have known instantly. She wouldn't smell like that now - God help her, she better not - but perhaps if she were to be convinced of my vision then that could be a reality again.

With a renewed picture of her in my mind and my heart set on tracking Rose down, I was ready to finally see her again. The only question was whether or not she would be ready to see me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys deserve a BIG thank you for being some of the most amazingly dedicated readership ever. I have been WAY off my game this book. Yes, I had my Disney vacation with my family (which was AMAZING) but then I ended up getting sick which messed up writing and posting. I know I've been all over the map with this story schedule and you have all been kinda hanging on for the ride in terms of when I actually post but I hope WHAT I post makes up for it. You guys know that I'll never abandon you or these stories so thank you for your trust and patience.
> 
> We also got a quick jump in the timetable, seeing Dimitri rise in power and getting ever closer to when Rose appears. I hope you've enjoyed this glimpse into what Dimitri had been doing on his own before Rose came into the picture. Someone once asked me how long I actually felt Rose was gone from school, and I had to think quite a while on it. Finally, I came to the conclusion that the only way this would really work is if St. Vlads probably ran on a different schedule than most standard US schools. They might have run on a "Continual Curriculum" schedule, starting in Mid August-ish, and running until Late June. There would be a few longer breaks around the holidays (which makes sense for Frostbite), plus a week or so in spring and fall. Rose left on her birthday in late March and based on the loose dates I was able to follow in the book, she would be gone about two or two and a half months. She gets back to Vlads just in time for her final tests and graduation. For the first month or so she would have been traveling and at the Belikov home for the first month. Then she would have been searching for Dimitri or his captive for the last month I believe. What do you guys think?
> 
> This week's Question of the Week is: What's your newest "OTP" that you're hooked on?
> 
> I just finished a book on my trip called The Hating Game by Sally Thorne and I kinda fell in love with it. I'm in love with Lucy and Josh and it has two of my favorite troupes: "enemies to lovers" and "fake dating" so you will totally be enthralled. Also, it's in the developing genre called "New Adult" which focuses on the age range of 18-25. If/when I write my own book, this is the age range I want to write for. It's like YA but with more room to play around :)
> 
> I also really loved Trick by Natalia Jaster. She's a personal hero because she's a former fanfic writer who has gone mainstream. It's also a really great book that covers some really diverse topics so check it out if you haven't already.
> 
> So tell me your most recent book finds (especially if they include a new fave OTP!) Thank you again for standing by me through all the ups and downs and I hope you enjoy the chapter. Don't forget to read, review, favorite and follow!


	9. Chapter 9

It took less than a week for me to figure out where she was hiding. She was with a band of young Dhampir students, some of whom I recognized from my hometown. It wasn't unheard of for young men to choose to go rogue instead of completing their education or staying in the Guardian profession, especially once they realize it wasn't exactly what the Academies made it out to be. One bad charge and it becomes pretty clear that a guardian's life is even less glamorous than initially imagined. Others seek glory rather than the order that the Guardian Council demands of them and that alone is enough reason to cast aside their promise. Young women who were unpromised yet fighting were even rarer. They tended to find themselves in...other situations. Either in communes like my family or in what could only be described as brothels. The fact that Rose found herself in the company of another young lady like herself was curious but almost a comfort. The primal part of me hated to see her surrounded only by boys who were probably as enslave by her charms as any of the students at St Vlad's.

I tracked her for several nights, watching as the group took down lone Strigoi hunting for their next meal. It was clear that she led the group and they followed her commands without hesitation. Despite this, she didn't seem to have a clear motive or quest to find me further. She killed one or two of those they trapped, but she often offered the others the final kill. More often than not, she would allow herself a moment or two of fascinatingly dark torture, san-questions, before passing the proverbial torch to one of the others for the last staking.

This reconnaissance of sorts proved very useful on several fronts. In addition to getting me over the shock of seeing her in the flesh, and testing my ability to find her quickly, it gave me the ability to watch her and notice things. Perhaps the most important was that she could almost sense my presence whenever I was near. Or, not me specifically, but any Strigoi. She had mentioned being able to see Mason's ghost before, and how he had warned her before the attack, but this was something different. She would tell the others when one of us was near, almost catching me the first day I found her when I got too close. Since then, I had been sure to stay back until I knew there was someone else in the vicinity before moving in. If needed, I would subtly direct her to her target so I could watch her in action. She was as fierce as before, obviously keeping up with her training despite being away from the Academy for weeks now. She was preparing herself for battle, and she wasn't going to come unprepared.

She had even come to learn of Alchemists, calling them in for clean-up and treatment when one of her own was injured, though never staying around to speak with them. It was another piece of the puzzle for me: she was hiding.

When I decided to make my move, my plan was simple. All I needed to do was to throw her off balance. I had done it time and time again in our sparring matches and the same principle would work here. Instead of muscle memory, it would be her nightly routine. It was easy to see that her group was thriving off routine and by messing up their regimen I would be able to finally find a fatal flaw to exploit.

One of her regular crew mates was down, still out because of an injury so that was one point in my favor. Then I simply _persuaded_ other Strigoi in the area to keep away. Several nights without any attacks made the others agitated and set her on edge, making her wary. All I needed was that split second that wariness transformed into complacency.

It happened to everyone at some point. Every guardian slipped and found themselves staring out into the distance when they should be focused on their charge, or wondering if they were careful enough as they checked the wards lines to the point where they had to go back to check again. But those guardians weren't targets. Sometimes those little mistakes ended up in disaster, most often they were just a reminder that they needed to be more aware. One way or another, Rose's moment of weakness would cost her her life.

I watched her apartment in the low light of the dying sun, from the protection of the alley. There was almost enough darkness now for me to move freely as the only light came from twilight and streetlights, but it was still far too early for Rose and the others to appear. The only reason I was here now was because Nathan and the others were driving to the club to feed and I followed them out. I had barely pulled my book out to get lost in the pages when her scent caught me above the smell of other passersby. Had I not been tracking her for several days, I might have been able to overlook it, but I could now pick it out of a crowd from a mile away.

She pulled her jacket close to her, revealing just a hint of silver from an improvised holster around her hips. One of the boys that I recognized from her group walked with her laughing and pushing her playfully before swinging his arm around her shoulders in a way that made me want to rush from my hiding spot prematurely. The way she smiled at him didn't help, her eyes lighting up as they spoke to one another.

I watched as they walked together a short distance, returning quickly with a third person – the girl from their group – and returned towards their building. A strange wailing stopped all of us, diverting our attention.

A homeless woman who I had noticed earlier was lying on her back, hands and feet in the air. She had been sleeping on a bench before, making an easy target for me to feed from, had the sun allowed it at the time, but it seemed that she would prove even more useful now.

"I'll be right in." Rose's voice echoed over the nearly nonexistent traffic, moving steadily towards me as she crossed the street to make her way to the distressed woman. She was close enough that she should have been able to sense with ease, but her mind was obviously distracted by something else at this moment. Something about this woman was captivating to her, and it didn't take me long to realize that this was the moment: _our_ moment.

Rose reached out a hand to help her, inspiring the crazed woman's sudden conversation about dreams and fish and how she knew that the stars were made of gold that she would one day catch for Rose in her net. When the old woman started spinning, using her coat like a ball gown, I started moving in. Her movement and singing were more than sufficient distraction.

I only paused when I heard Rose laugh. It was half a second, but I hadn't heard such a sound in what felt like years.

_You can't do this. You can't kill her._

I shook the thought from my mind, remembering what I had come to do. Rose was here to kill me. Galina made it clear what needed to be done. I need to finish this. Rose couldn't come back here looking for me. She should have stayed away, but she didn't. I needed to end this here and now.

"Come, child, dance with me! We shall be the queens of the stars!"

"I'm sorry, I have to go." Rose began to back away, still facing her as she moved backward towards her home and with the smile one would give an endearingly troublesome child.

"But the stars! They shine! They..." the woman's voice dropped suddenly as she recognized me and my otherness. Some might have ignored me, out of respect given to passing strangers, but I had found that those who made a living off watching people move on the streets tended to notice when things didn't fit properly. Strigoi was the epitome of that description.

It was too late, though. I was already right behind Rose when she spun, her stake finding her palm in an instant and lining up with my heart. Perhaps if she had struck just as quickly, she would have succeeded.

But she didn't.

"No..."

Her stake didn't move a millimeter. Her eyes wandered over my face, providing a strange heat that now felt foreign to my body. I could feel her take me in – every difference, every similarity – and come to terms with it in an instant. And then her hand shook. Not to kill but in indecision.

"Roza." Her eyes snapped to mine, pleading with me as if I could tell her what to do in this moment. "You forgot my first lesson: Don't hesitate."

Her eyes widened just before my hand struck her temple, knocking her unconscious instantly. I caught her before she fell to the pavement, hissing as her stake slid across my forearm when she dropped it. The fact that she didn't even defend against me was almost disheartening to all our lessons, but I could almost sympathize as I lifted her and moved us to the protection of the shadows. It would have been just as easy for me to snap her neck, but I didn't. I couldn't. Not with her looking at me like that.

I was just as helpless to kill her at that moment as she was to kill me.

Even now, with her completely defenseless, I couldn't. I had entertained the thought of awakening her when Galina had ordered me to "fix" the situation, but it was quickly dashed. Galina made it clear that she wanted Rose, and preferably the others, killed. She had relented on the others being a minor inconvenience when I informed her that they only functioned with Rose's leadership, but that only seemed to solidify that Rose needed to be killed quickly and completely.

I brushed the hair out of Rose's eyes, checking her neck for a pulse and her lips for breath as I considered my options. I could run, taking Rose with me, but I had no resources or funds to get us far. And if I wasn't going to kill her now, which I knew was impossible, I only had one choice: to convince Galina of her worth.

I tucked Rose into the car, securing her belt around her before draping my coat over her sleeping form. She stirred slightly, relaxing as she found the collar of my duster and tucked against it. I watched her a moment longer, trying not to allow the action to stir too much thought before shutting the door and slipping into the driver's seat. The drive towards the Estate never seemed shorter as I tried to think of what I could say to Galina to excuse myself. Defying a direct order was outlandish, and lying to her would only make it worse.

Would the truth be better, though? That I was a lovesick fool? I ran to get away from her and she followed me? I wouldn't kill her and she wouldn't kill me? It sounded like some romantic tragedy. As the gates of the Estate welcomed me, I realized it would have to do.

We were in the lion's den with me as Rose's only protector, and I could feel my guard rising almost as much as it had my first day here. Perhaps more so. I could already see one or two questioning glances as I lifted her limp form out of the car and started into the building, and the more people noticed us, specifically that she was dhampir despite the fact that my coat covered her unconscious body, the more and more whispers fled down the halls. At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if Galina knew about our arrival before I made it to her study.

I took a deep breath before knocking on Galina's door, waiting for her permission before entering. If she denied my request, I wasn't sure what I would do.

"Have you finished it then?" she asked, nodding vaguely to the bundle in my arms. I had no doubt that she could probably hear Rose's heartbeat if she attempted to. She was trusting me to tell her myself.

Instead, I cleared my throat and clutched Rose tighter. "I've come to make a request."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know this is a bit shorter but I hope that it was worth it! Rose is back and with the original book to draw from we should be moving along a bit more smoothly for the story. There will still be surprises since Rose spends most of the time locked in her prison and Dimitri has quite a bit to do outside of those four walls, but I think you'll enjoy their time together quite a bit.
> 
> Also, can we just take a moment to talk about the 10th-Anniversary Edition of Vampire Academy?! How many of you have read it yet? I ADORED it. I don't want to give away all the details for those of you haven't had a chance to pick it up yet but I highly recommend it. My favorite was Tasha's story, but I've always had a soft spot for writing her so learning more about her character was a treat. SO...if you would like to chat with me about the 10th Ann. VA book feel free to PM me but please no spoilers in the comments. OR you can chat with me on Tumblr!
> 
> This week's Question of the Week is this: are you a fan of audio books? If so, which one is your favorite?
> 
> I enjoy them on special occasions. I find that I like them on long car rides or if I'm doing a repetitive task for hours on end. In fact, the first time I really fell in love with audio books was when I worked with a friend compiling a company handbook for their small business. For two weeks, eight hours a day, we listened to the Harry Potter series. It's still one of my favorite audio series. Not every audiobook is as well read but when you find good ones, they are worth it.
> 
> Thank you again for all your support! Seriously, you guys are amazing. I know this book has been much more difficult than the others but thank you for sticking with me. I promise that it will all be worth it. Also, keep an eye out for a short based on one of the stories in the 10th Anniversary VA book. I won't tell you which story inspired it, but I'm already half way done with it. My hope is to have it out within the next week or so. It WILL have spoilers for the for the 10th Anniversary Shorts however, so I will tag it.
> 
> Don't forget to fave, follow, review and share! Thanks for reading and you can follow me on tumblr at gigi256 or VAfiction.


	10. Chapter 10

I brushed Rose's hair back as I laid her down on her bed. Her _temporary_ bed. One way or another, she wouldn't be able to stay in this room long. I would have preferred to keep a closer eye on her in my own suite, but Galina was firm that as long as I was insisting on keeping her, she would be kept firmly under lock and key. At least she was allowing her to stay here rather than the more antiquated and less hospitable "guestrooms" in the basement. Since I wouldn't be able to stay with her at all times, I could see the appeal to having her locked away for safety. While the others knew better than to come near my personal space, I couldn't be sure that Rose wouldn't go wandering yet, and I couldn't ensure her protection beyond this room until she understood what I had to offer her.

I knew she would be waking soon, probably within the hour and I still needed to feed before meeting with her. Seeing her under bloodlust would be a terrible idea in many regards, and while a fresh kill would probably be my best bet, a trip to our feeder den would be better than nothing.

Some of the soldiers called the den the "Feed Lot" because of how much the humans, dhampirs, and yes even the occasional non-royal Moroi acted like cattle after a few bites. Not only were our bites more intense than the typical Moroi's but we also tended to push the limits of what was safe before a feeder passed out or simply died from blood loss. Still, they kept coming back because the high was stronger than any drug on the market or on the streets, so even if they had watched someone die the day before, they were willing to put their neck out the next evening just for a hit. Some even had the faint hope of immortality themselves, though it was eventually lost in their drug addled memories over the weeks or months...if they made it that far. I had yet to feed off the same person more than three times in the den.

I had barely been sated before the phone in my pocket started buzzing. It instantly propelled me from a somewhat passive mood to anxious and agitated in a moment.

"What?" My tone was even, but the word was clipped.

"She's awake." The voice on the other side sounded bored, but I knew instantly the meaning behind their message. Rose. There was no audio or visual monitoring in the guest suites, but I had no doubts that Rose could make herself known if she wanted to. "You better get up there before she destroys the place."

I almost smiled at the thought as I hung up the phone, the other side of the line already dead, and made my way back up to the guest suites. My meal reached out for my leg as laid on the tiled floor, begging for another hit of his elusive drug, but a swift kick was enough to detour him until someone else could attend to his needs. There was always someone wanting blood, and until he ran dry he would always be willing to offer.

Samuel was sitting outside the guest hall and I could hear why they had called me when she woke up. It was pretty obvious that she was awake, and even though the banging coming from the end of the hall was faint she needed to be making a hell of a lot of noise to be heard at all. The rooms were practically soundproof in design.

He peeked over the magazine, a scantily clad woman on the cover, and shrugged. "She tried the keypad twice then was quiet for a few minutes. All of a sudden the banging started. Figured we should call you. Don't know what she's doing, but she's found something to play with." All in all, he seemed more concerned with his centerfold rather than whoever I had behind the door and that was one reason I appreciated him. I'm sure Galina felt the same. There was something to be said about people who followed orders without questions.

I entered the passcode to Rose's room and unlocked the first door, bracing myself when the noise stopped suddenly. To not give myself away fully, I continued to punch the next code in and sidestepped Rose's sudden attack with the chair that she had probably been using earlier to try and make her escape. Like nearly everything else in the room, the chair was practically unbreakable, specially made out of Verawood and in as few pieces as possible. She was likelier to break her own bones than break that chair.

But it wasn't her bones that she was trying to break, it was mine. Honestly, I think she would have been satisfied with at least a hit after what had happened before. I had almost expected her to hesitate when she saw me once more, and I saw the same recognition in that moment when our eyes met, but she came at me full power.

It didn't matter. I shoved her back and she caught her balance several feet away before coming at me again, growling in frustration. I could feel it around her in this encounter, mirrored in my own senses. This isn't what I had planned either. But my disappointment was building too. I had taught her _better_ than this. I taught her to fight with a clear head. To leave emotion out of the equation. How could I ever trust that she could be safe on her own when she couldn't even face me?

The moment the chair was within reach, I tore it from her and threw it against the wall. The silence only lasted a second or so, but it was thunderous. Her breath came in pants, her heart beating fast and loud in her chest. My own breathing was more controlled but with a low growl that couldn't go unnoticed.

Then it was a flurry for a moment. A low kick from her, nothing more than a trick to bring my body down closer to her reach before she made a quick strike for my throat. A grab for her arm, twisting it behind her back, but she spins away. It's all a game we've played time and time again under much less dire circumstances when the prize was a smile or the touch of a hand. This time, it's life or death.

We moved back and forth across the room like a dance, reading the other's moves as if we were open books. I could sense exactly when she was about to attack and she was able to predict my counter strikes. It was almost pointless, like titans warring against one another.

"Rose," I pushed another kick away before she scurried behind the couch for distance. "You're wasting time. Stop."

Her sudden intake of voice was enough to confirm that I still had an effect on her, as much as she was fighting it – literally and figuratively. Her fighting instincts turned to desperation as she backed herself towards the wall. Her fingers scanned the monotonous smooth surface until it found a lone break of a shelf, gripping the DVD player from its perch and pulling it out in front of her, cords and all.

With a primal scream she came at me swinging, but it flew wildly off target and made for an easy deflection. It shattered into hundreds of broken pieces beside us and I was able to pull her, stunned and still, into my grip before she started up again.

"I'm not going to hurt you. Roza! Please stop."

She only slowed her struggling a moment before she renewed her useless kicking at me. She barely missed a sensitive area before my annoyance reached its limit and I shoved her face first against the wall and used my own body to pin her there. She pressed back against me, igniting a primal part that always seemed ever present when we fought, but I shoved it – and her – back.

"Stop fighting me." I urged her again, allowing myself a moment to enjoy just how close I was to her. With her back pressed against my chest, her face turned away, I could smell her blood just under her skin. With how hard we had been fighting just now, I bet I could see it pulsing, just waiting for my bite. I took a deep breath, letting it go against the column of her neck and watching the loose strands of her dark hair drift aside. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"You'll have to understand if I have a hard time believing that." She elbowed me and instead of forcing her forward again, I held her tighter to me, relishing in the feeling.

"If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead. Now, if you're going to keep fighting, I'll have to tie you up." I smiled slightly, secretly intrigued at that thought, but grateful that my thought was hidden from her view. "If you stop, I'll let you stay unrestrained."

"Aren't you afraid I'll escape?"

"No. I am not." Out of all the outcomes for this confrontation to end, her escaping this room alive was not one of them. And the quicker she understood that, the better we would all be.

I could feel the moment she gave up on the struggle. I wasn't stupid enough to believe that it was the last time she would try to fight me on the matter, but the current battle was over.

"Okay." Instead of pulling away from my grip, she relaxed slightly into me. I couldn't help but notice the promise of that small action; one that I wasn't even sure she was aware she made. She had been taught all her life to fear and avoid Strigoi. They meant death. If she left this room, that would _still_ be the case. But here, with me, she was safe. Instinctively, somewhere she knew that. All I needed to do was to break down the wall that the Moroi world and her Academy training had put between us and then she would see the potential. The seed was there, I just needed to foster its growth.

The moment I released her completely she snapped back, turning to face me full on and stepping away. She eyed me warily, but I could still see the doubt in her eyes. She continued to study me, cataloging my features away as if it would somehow help her get a grasp on me. Perhaps it would make it easier for her to try to kill me or justify trying to do so. She would never get another chance, though.

"Why did you come here?" I asked, suddenly curious. Certainly, she couldn't have thought she'd actually manage to kill me. Yes, she was the best in her class, but that wasn't enough. Not against me. She had beaten me a handful of times at the Academy, but the only one worth mentioning was during the trials. I was faster and stronger now. Even if she had continued training and fighting other Strigoi, she only had a small chance of overtaking me like this. If I hadn't killed her outright, I would have seriously injured her at the very least. That alone could kill her career.

I nearly scoffed, realizing that it didn't matter. Her career was over already. It didn't matter if she somehow made it out of here alive. The school year wasn't over and since she was currently standing before me, she must have dropped out. She's done. No graduation. No Promise Mark. No Lissa. She gave it all up for a useless mission.

Her bravado showed through the mask she fronted, arms crossed across her chest like a barrier against me. "Because you hit me on the head and dragged me here."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it." I wanted to hear her say the words. "Why are you here?"

"In Siberia?" She asked flippantly, "I came to find you."

I rewarded honesty with honesty. "I came here to get away from you."

The confession seemed to shock her, though it was rare that Rose became speechless. Instead, she spouted out what I assume were the first thoughts to come to mind. "Why? Because I might kill you?"

"No. So we wouldn't be in this situation. Now we are, and the choice is inevitable."

"Well, you can let me go if you want to avoid it."

I moved towards one of the leather chairs in the seating area across from her bed, inviting her to join me in either the other chair or on the sofa. Part of me wanted to be close to her, to encourage her to sit next to me and to show her that I meant her no real harm if she cooperated, but I knew I needed to bide my time for a little while. She was still skittish, a lifetime of training still overriding that natural draw we had towards one another. So, some space for now.

She was still pressed against the wall where I had left her, not quite cornered, but certainly not keen to be any closer to me than absolutely necessary. I closed my eyes for a moment, tuning into the sensations of the room, specifically those surrounding her. I could hear the quiet, quick breaths she was making. I knew she was trying to stay calm, but failing. Her pulse was racing slightly too. Our short fight was over long enough to know that it wasn't residual energy dissipating. She could be fearful of me, _should_ be fearful of me to some extent. Maybe that played a part, but there was more.

"Not possible anymore. Not after seeing you now," I said opening my eyes again to study her. Yes, there was fear. There was uncertainty. It was in the way her shoulders were set stiffly and her heels were raised and ready to pounce. But her skin was also flushed. That wasn't a sign of fear. Neither was the look in her eyes and the way that her pupils were starting to overtake the light brown irises. And, ah, there it was...her bottom lip pulling behind her teeth in a gentle nibble. She was aroused and that was more than enough permission for me. "You're still as beautiful as I remember, Roza. Not that I should have expected anything different."

Her back hit the wall, arms crossing her in a measly defense against my words that confused me.

"You can sit down," I offered.

"I'm fine over here."

"Is there anything else you want?"

"For you to let me go?"

That almost made me smile. It was so like her to make a joke, even in the direst of circumstances. She certainly knew I wasn't just going to let her walk out of here...but still...

"No, Roza. I meant, do you need anything here? Different food? Books? Entertainment?"

"You make it sound like some luxury hotel!" Her voice rose slightly as she waved her arms around at the accommodations.

I shrugged. "It is, to a certain extent. I can speak to Galina, and she'll get you anything you wish."

"Galina?"

I could almost hear a hint of something behind her questioning. Protectiveness? More? I was tempted to use it to my advantage, knowing that Rose was the type to give into jealousy easily, but decided that honesty would serve me better here. I wanted her to trust me sooner rather than later, and toying with Rose's emotions to get a short term rise out of her wouldn't do me any favors in the long run.

"Galina is my old instructor, back from when I was in school."

"She's Strigoi?"

"Yes. She was awakened several years ago, in a fight in Prague. She's relatively young for a Strigoi, but she's risen in power." I gestured to the room. "All of this is hers."

"And you live with her?" The jealousy was thick on her tongue, and I could practically see her beating herself up over it.

"I work for her." I insisted, putting Rose out of her misery. "She was another reason I returned here when I was awakened. I knew she was Strigoi, and I wanted her guidance." While it wasn't completely true, I hoped it gave her a little more confidence in my place at the compound and how I could secure a place for both of us here.

"And you wanted to get away from me. That was the other reason, right?"

I nodded, confirming her words. It seemed to relax her a little as she lowered her guard slightly and looked out the shaded window.

"Where are we? We're far from Novosibirsk, right?"

"Yes, Galina's estate is outside the city." I stayed intentionally vague, already onto what she was fishing for.

"How far?" Her words were sickly sweet. It was the same tone she used when trying to buy a morning off from practice. It hadn't worked at the Academy and it wouldn't work here.

"I know what you're doing, and I'm not going to give you that sort of information."

"Then what are you doing?" She turned on me quickly, her sugar coated words catching fire instantly as her hands flew to the side. "Why are you holding me here? Kill me or let me go. And if you're going to just lock me up and torture me with your mind games or whatever, then I really would rather you kill me."

"Brave words." Her nose flared in anger as I stood and paced behind the chair I had been seated in. "I almost believe you."

"They're true. I came here to kill you. If I can't do that, then I'd rather die."

I raised my brow in acknowledgment. I was sure that she wasn't lying. She probably did mean to kill me. In lieu of that, she probably wouldn't mind dying. Unfortunately, she lost the ability to make the choice on her own. I held the cards now.

"You failed, you know. On the street."

She had the good grace to look ashamed, at least for a moment, before her typical snark came back in full force. "Yeah. I kind of figured that out when I woke up here."

I moved so quickly that her breath caught in her throat when she saw me before her. Between that and the physical reaction her body started lighting off at my proximity, I smiled, bearing my fangs and all. I could hear a little whimper from her before I spoke.

"I'm a little disappointed. You're so good, Rose. So very, very good. You and your friends going around and taking down Strigoi caused quite a stir, you know. Some Strigoi were even afraid."

"But not you?" She challenged.

"When I heard it was you...hmm...No. I was curious." I was so tempted to touch her. We were only a few inches apart. "Wary. If anyone could have killed me, it would have been you. But like I said, you hesitated. I was your ultimate test of my lessons, and you failed."

Her teeth gritted and her eyes narrowed. "I won't hesitate next time."

"There won't be a next time." I almost pitied the way she seemed to be stuck in that hope. "And anyway, as disappointed as I am in you, I am still glad to be alive, of course."

"You aren't alive." It sounded forced as if it was something she had rehearsed for herself rather than for me. "You're dead. Unnatural. You told me a long time ago you'd rather die than be like this. That's why I'm going to kill you."

"You're only saying that because you don't know any better. I didn't either back then."

"Look, I meant what I said. I'm not playing your game. If I can't get out of here, then just kill me. Okay?"

I had to show her that there was more than just life and death. More than the horrible cards that had been dealt to us. I traced her cheek, suppressing the tremble that her words had brought on.

She gasped, meeting my eyes in earnest as my fingers twirled around a loose lock of hair and placed it behind her ear.

"Killing you...well, it's not that simple."

She looked at me questioningly, completely unaware as to why I would want to do anything other than kill her where she stood.

"There's a third option," I whispered, softly. "I could awaken you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Ya'll! I'm sorry this took a while. I feel like I say that a whole lot but the good news is that we are BACK TO THE BOOK! Yay! Rose is back so we will move back and forth from the book with these chapters (we will see rose most of the time but not ALL of the time) and hopefully, this will help the schedule a bit.
> 
> If you don't follow me as an author, you may not have noticed that I posted TWO new stories on here last weekend. They were the charity pieces I mentioned a while back. One is Romitri based and the other is Everlark from The Hunger Games fandom. Both are intended for Mature audiences. Feel free to check them out :)
> 
> This weeks question's of the week is a little different. As many of you know, Saturday was the Women's March on Washinton. I know several of you participated and I would love to hear your experience if you did so!
> 
> I attended my local march and it was an amazing experience. Completely positive, completely peaceful, and over FOUR TIMES the anticipated attendance. The only sad thing was that because I was only a half hour early (rather than a few hours early) I wasn't actually able to get into the indoor hall to hear the rally speakers. We spent that time outside with 3/4s of the total audience talking to one another before the actual march. It was a great time to discuss our concerns with one another, for me to personally teach my children about the importance of the day, and celebrate. I was THRILLED with how many children and families were there. Many fully understood what they were marching for too. Even if they didn't understand ALL the issues, they understood the issues important to them. For example, my 4-year-old had a decent conversation with the 5-year-old in front of us about why he felt we should all love one another and she explained why clean water should be important for everyone. That was pretty amazing.
> 
> Thank you for your patience in this story, especially with the holiday season. And as always, thank you for reading, sharing, following and favoriting. You guys rock! Please let me know what you think.


	11. Chapter 11

"No." She stood frozen under my touch, not even able to step away. "No!"

"You don't know what it's like!" I would make her understand. She had to. If she could see, she would change her mind. "It's...amazing. Transcendent. All your senses are alive; the world is more alive-"

"Yeah, but _you're_ dead!"

"Am I?" I grabbed her hand as she tried to step away, placing it firmly on my chest. There was a satisfaction in seeing her eyes widen at the steady heartbeat I knew she felt there. "My heart beats. I'm breathing."

"Yeah, but...it's..." her fingers ran through her hair as she struggled with all this new information. I could see her mind reeling, but I knew her conclusions would reach one place: we were taught incorrectly. Strigoi were alive. They, we... _I_...was more than simply mortal now. "It's not really being alive. It's...It's dark magic reanimating you. It's an illusion of life."

"It's better than life." I cupped her face, forcing her to focus fully on me. "It's like being a god, Rose. Strength. Speed. Able to perceive the world in ways you could never imagine. And...immortality. We could be together forever."

It was something I had wanted once. Something we had both wanted before it had been stolen from us. Now that it was a possibility again, in ways that were inconceivable before. I doubted Rose would just throw all that away.

"No..." she whispered, though the words came loud and clear to me. "We can't be."

"We could." She was just scared. I knew it. She wouldn't give us up. I followed the line of her jaw to the pulsing artery on her neck. I could see some indecision in her eyes as she considered my words. Pushing a little compulsion into my thoughts, I continued. "I could do it quickly. There'd be no pain. It'd be done before you even knew it."

Her breath slowed a little, calming under my touch as the compulsion ran through her. It wasn't enough to fully sway her decision, but it was enough to keep fear from being the only motivator. I didn't want her to blame me for forcing her into this. Rose was headstrong and it would be easier to have her as an ally if she weren't constantly bitter about being coerced into this life.

I was so focused on her that I had dropped my guard on any other potential threats, however. So when the door opened suddenly, I thrusted Rose behind me as I took in our unwelcomed visitors.

Nathan and Inna. I had expected someone to bring Rose food, but Nathan's personal pet was not who I had in mind. The fact that he felt the need to accompany her today was completely unnecessary as well.

Rose seemed to recognize him immediately, if her slight intake of breath and surprisingly unsolicited touch to my back was any indication. _How_ she knew him interested me greatly.

"What the hell is going on here?" Nathan questioned bitterly. "You're keeping some pet up here?" I knew that he had been upset that orders had been flying over his head for a while now, but it was unfortunate that _this_ was the one that seemed to be the last straw for him.

"It's none of your concern, Nathan. Galina gave me permission." The sooner he was gone from this room, the better.

Unfortunately, it seemed that my tactic had the opposite effect, though: rather than discouraging his interest in what was happening, it only made him more curious about the prisoner of this room. The moment he got a good enough glimpse, his eyes widened in shock, and then a second later a form of bloodlust appeared that took on multiple definitions. I shifted further in front of Rose, but the damage was done.

"Her? She was at the school in Montana. We fought..." he bore his fangs threateningly towards her, despite my protection. "I would have tasted her blood if that fire-using Moroi brat hadn't been around."

"This doesn't have anything to do with you." I reminded him, trying to stay where I was rather than paint the room red with his own blood.

"Are you kidding me?" He laughed in my face, speaking slowly in a condescending way. "She can lead us to the Dragomir girl! If we finish that line off, our names will be legendary. How long are you going to keep her?"

"Get out!" Talking of killing Lissa, especially at this point, would win me no favors with Rose. Already I could feel the slim progress I had made slip between my fingers like sand. "That's not a request!"

Nathan pointed to the side of me, where I knew Rose was peeking around my body. "She's valuable. If you are going to keep her around as some blood whore plaything, at least share. Then we'll get the information and finish her."

The thought of him – of anyone – touching Rose made my own blood boil in my veins. The thought of _Nathan_ , the man who had sired me and put her practically outside of my reach in the first place being the one to try such a thing was enough to inspire the cruelest form of torture I could imagine. I stepped forward so that we were nearly chest to chest and he had to look up to meet my eyes while I had the advantage of staring down my nose at him. "Get out of here. If you lay a hand on her, I will destroy you. I will rip your head off with my bare hands and watch it burn in the sun."

Some rare color lit under his skin as his anger got the better of him and a sneer formed between his lips and nose. "Galina won't allow you to play house with this girl. Even _you_ don't have much favor."

"Don't make me tell you to leave again. I'm not in a patient mood today."

He wore his emotions on his face. I knew he hated not being able to read me and the more passive I appeared to remain, the more agitated he got until it seemed like rationality won over his pride and he turned. "This isn't over. I'm talking to Galina."

I couldn't help but think of a child running off to tattle, especially as the door slammed behind him. I waited for the second door before turning to Inna. She was still frozen with the covered dish in her hands.

"Rose speaks English. Learn quickly. It would probably please Nathan too. Now, do you have the food I requested?"

She nodded one quick, nearly-impossible-to-pick-up nod and placed the tray on the coffee table before removing the lid. Underneath was a plate with several slices of pepperoni pizza, and a small side plate of brownie covered in chocolate frosting. There was even a red can of coke, though I'm sure the logo change might have thrown her off slightly.

"Lunch. Not poisoned."

Her eyes spoke of longing as she stared for a moment, but she shook her head vigorously. "I'm not going to eat."

"Do you want something else?" I didn't expect that her stubbornness would actually beat out her appetite. Very few things actually could.

"I don't want anything else because I'm not going to eat anything at all. If you aren't going to kill me, then I'll do it myself."

"By starving to death?" I sincerely doubted she had the will power to do a hunger strike, but it was almost touching that she would try to. Her misplaced convictions would eventually fail when she saw the light of what I had to offer. "I'll awaken you long before then."

"Why aren't you just doing it now?"

"Because I'd rather wait for you to be willing."

"You're going to be waiting a long time." She faced me with all the power and conviction of a toddler trying to defy her bedtime. Sure, I knew she fully meant what she proclaimed, but in the end, my rule would win out. It was adorable how she felt otherwise, though, as if she could somehow by sheer will make it out of this situation. It was laughable and I did just that.

"We'll see." I promised her, rising to meet her stubbornness. I still admired her attitude, even if it made things difficult at times. That fire was what drew me to her and made me burn for her. And I longed to taste it now.

I wrapped my arm around her neck, ignoring her murmur of protest as I pulled her close and catching her hand as she tried to push me away before I pressed my lips against hers in a bruising kiss. She pulled for a moment, forcing me to tug her back until I felt her eventually sigh at my cheek. Then I stepped away, watching her catch up to the sudden movement.

"This is Inna." I gestured to the girl, who glanced up from the wall where she had obviously been trying to blend in and ignore us. "She works for Galina too and will check in on you. If you need anything, let her know. She doesn't speak much English, but she'll figure it out."

I looked toward the mousy haired girl barely older than Rose herself, and gave a quick command for her to follow me.

"Where are you going?" I didn't miss the slight desperation in her voice when she realized I was leaving her here. It was a good sign.

"I have things to do. Besides, you need time to think."

"There's nothing to think about." Her brave face was on, but I could see through it. One sly eyebrow from me and I could already see it starting to crumble before the door shut behind me.

As soon as Inna and I were out of the corridor and I had double checked the locks, I sent her with a list of things to make sure the kitchen had on hand for Rose. I knew typical Russian dishes wouldn't be very appealing to her American senses, but I could make sure that we had a few more recognizable items for her. With international visitors for Galina's business, it wasn't an unusual request, but it was better to be prepared. Getting a pizza on short notice had been a feat unto itself. If Rose insisted on a hunger strike for a day or so, fine, but I was sure she'd break fairly quickly.

Samuel looked up from his magazine again as soon as Inna had scampered off. "Nathan's pissed."

I grunted in reply, already aware of the obvious.

"Not going to lie, I'm happy you're pegging him down a few notches, but you do realize that he's going to make your life a living hell, right?"

"Already did." I muttered blankly.

"Eternal hell, then."

I tried to level his stare at the joke, but he was hiding behind the glossy pages. I could, however, see a small smirk on his face as he enjoyed his own cleverness.

"I'm just warning you. I've been around for a while, and he is smarter than he seems. There's a reason he survives the battlefield and it isn't because of strength. He knows how to target the weak spot, and if I had to hazard a guess...your weak spot lies behind those doors."

"I've already cleared this with Galina," I insisted, falling on the same excuse that I had given Nathan before.

"Which was wise, but remember that Galina's patience only lasts so long as she feels she's getting something out of the deal. Make sure she sees the payoff, or the deal is dead," He pointed ominously towards the door and my end of our deal that was apparently starting to test the security system again. "Piss Galina off too much, and you will be too."

I allowed myself a moment to consider his words before taking a breath and nodding. "Just keep an eye on her."

"Not going anywhere," he smiled.

I made my way up towards my own room, replaying that conversation in my head, coupled with the argument with Nathan. I knew it wasn't going to be easy keeping Rose under this roof, but I had hoped my protection and Galina's permission would be more than enough to secure her safety. It was hard won, after all.

Galina hadn't been thrilled to see her, alive but unconscious, in my arms when I had returned that night. She had ordered me to kill her right there, and it was the first order that I had ignored entirely. For a moment, I thought we both might die, and I think only her curiosity saved us.

"Why?" she asked. "What about this girl would make you risk your immortality to bring her back here? You risk your place here, you openly defy me, you know what could happen, yet you still took the chance knowing the cost. You better have a damn good reason, Dimitri Belikov, because if you don't I will kill your precious girl in front of you and then kill you as an example of what happens to those who seek to overthrow the order here."

I knew this calm woman. Had it been overwhelming rage or a violent tantrum, I might have been more wary, but the calm, calculating Galina was someone I had come to know well during my Academy days and here at the Estate. She had a lesson to teach and she intended to make sure her point came across clearly. Rather than discipline for slacking on my weight training, though, this was something that would cost me so much more if I made the wrong move.

"I don't mean to defy you, Galina. I mean to offer you something that could eventually strengthen you and your ranks. This is Rose Hathaway, someone I mentored. She's one of the best students I have ever seen. You already know that she has been very successful in both capturing and killing several Strigoi, and I believe we could use her among the soldiers."

She considered me with narrowed eyes. "Then why is she mortal still? You hardly need coddling in how to turn someone, unless you want me to do it for you?"

"No," I bit out, a little too fiercely before regaining control. "I'd prefer to awaken her myself. However, she is strong willed. We've seen how others have rebelled against their sires and the Estate when turned against their will. I already know that she would not be willing yet. Let me have some time with her, and I know I can convince her. She'd be a powerful ally much quicker, and I'd take her on myself after her change."

"Where do you intend to keep her? I won't have you let her run around the Estate where she can harm others."

"We have only a few clients scheduled for the month. Certainly few enough to allow her to stay in one of the guest suites. She'll be out of the way, monitored, and I'll take on her care personally."

Galina stepped closer to where I had laid Rose on the chaise lounge in her library. My skin prickled on high alert as she kneeled beside her, tracing the line of her cheek, down her neck, and even past her collar nearly to the curve of her breasts. I knew better than to stop her, though. Any more defiance on my part would most likely get us both killed and defeat the entire point of bringing her back at all.

"She certainly is beautiful, isn't she?" she noted, almost dreamily as Rose turned slightly under her touch.

"She is," I replied vaguely.

"I can see why you fell for her. It would be hard to keep emotions in check with someone like her." She stood again to face me, her face much harder than it had been when she had been gazing at Rose, "But you need to, do you understand? If you let those weak, mortal emotions get the best of you now, I will kill you both without the slightest hesitation and I will make her death particularly painful just to show you that I am not one to be tried with. Betrayal is not something I take lightly, and our history is not something that will grant you any favors in this."

"I understand." I had hoped that our history would earn me something, but I knew that it was limited. Her trust was one thing, excusing mistakes and betrayal was another thing entirely.

"I hope so. I'll allow you two weeks to make your case with the girl. Then you either awaken her or kill her. If you can't do it, I will."

I nodded, already picking Rose up to get her to a room where she could rest more comfortably.

"And Dimitri," I paused, hoisting Rose closer as I turned to face Galina once more, "Remember, you may not like my choice. Work quickly."

So between Galina's vague threat and Nathan's not so vague threat, I knew that I needed to work fast to convince Rose to give herself over to me and the everlasting life I could offer her. Once she was awakened, she would be untouchable. I had no doubts that between her power and my influence, she would be able to rise through the ranks quickly and wouldn't have to worry about the others here who might want to harm her. And if my plan worked, it would only secure my position more with Galina, making Nathan less of a menace to us both.

The fact that he knew her, though, and wanted to use her to get to Lissa was a stumbling block that I hadn't anticipated. I had purposefully not mentioned Vasilisa or the bond to Galina so that she wouldn't be used to track down the Dragomir line. While it wasn't a priority for Galina to kill the Royal lines, she had ties to those who did and contracted out our soldiers to the people who made it their goal to end the Royals. She could sell both the information and the soldiers to kill the Dragomirs. At least the information about the bond between them was still safe, for now.

"Belikov!" I turned my head towards the group of four who were waiting near the end of the hallway. "You're on the list to round up the client whose defaulted today. You still in?"

I could feel the fire in my belly, still raging for a kill after being denied earlier. "Yeah. I'm in. When do we leave?"

"They're not that far. We'll take off about an hour after nightfall."

* * *

Several cars took off in secession, with me at the helm of the second one in line. We had taken roads fast, hitting the turns hard and ignoring the speed limits without regard for anyone else who might have on the road. Personal safety was inconsequential and law enforcement was even less worrisome. Anyone who even dared to try to give us some citation would only find themselves as an appetizer to our endeavor. The trip should have taken just over two hours, but by the time we arrived we had easily cut the time in half.

The home of the man we were to collect on was extravagant but surprisingly unwarded. In fact, he seemed to almost be welcoming us with his lack of regard for any personal safety. No wards, no guardians, no security of any kind it seemed. It was enough put us on edge.

"Do you think he's home?" someone asked.

It was a valid question. There didn't appear to be any lights on in the building. Nothing seemed to be disturbed and there wasn't any trace of life to be found.

"We should check. Galina will have our heads if we don't."

The woman was right. Coming back empty handed was unforgivable. Coming back empty handed and with an inexcusable reason for it was a death sentence. Not that I would have dreamed about leaving without giving the home a fair and thorough scan before calling it quits anyways.

We approached it apprehensively, especially when the door unlatched with barely a twist. Unlocked. My mind flashed back instantly to another scene that had brought anxiety like this; one that I had been on the other side of. There was no stake here, no gun, no woman to fear over just outside. There was just me and the unknown.

Around each corner we expected a guardian to ambush us. When it's one of the only ways to die, you are acutely aware of the possibility, just as you are aware of the painful rays of the sun. Nothing came, though. I did hear something, though. Above the strangely quiet air, there was a faint mumbling that guided me upstairs and towards a room near the end of the hall.

Soon, it wasn't the noise that I was following, but the smell. Alcohol, and a lot of it, burned my senses. A man deliriously sang an old drinking song, the words lost in the babbles of drink that rendered his words (and language) unintelligible.

Cautiously, I opened the door to find their target sitting beside a wooden chair, in the center of the room. A practically empty decanter of amber liquid was tilted sideways on a table next to the chair and he held the matching crystal glass in his hand.

The drunkard toasted him upon entry. "Come to finish me off?"

"You've defaulted again. You know what the contract stipulated." This was about business, and I quenched the urge to sneer at his appearance. The man looked like he hadn't showered or eaten anything other than perhaps martini olives in days.

"Yes, death. Not even begging will save me, will it?" He gave a humorless laugh. "And I can't even try to bribe you because I have nothing to offer."

Several others had moved behind me, witnessing the man's breakdown at his reversal of fortune. None of us knew what had caused his sudden bankruptcy and we didn't really care. He could have spent it on gambling, bad investments, women (legally wedded then lawfully divorce or perhaps only bought for the night), or maybe his debtors had all come calling and time had finally run out. Galina lived by the old law, though. In place of money she'd accept a pound of flesh, or in this case, every last drop of blood.

"Where are your guardians?" The last thing we all needed was a sudden assault. While we hadn't come across anyone yet, that didn't guarantee that the cavalry would come calling soon.

"Left three days ago," he lamented. "When they realized what was happening they decided to save themselves. I can't say that I blame them. I'm sure they'll be back to pick up the pieces and call it in soon."

I heard one of the women behind me snicker. It wasn't the first time we had seen a guardian do this. At first I had thought it was a cowardly move for a guardian to abandon his charge, but those who stayed never stood a chance against us when we came to collect on a defaulted client contract. Why should _they_ have to pay the price of their charge's stupidity and die along with them? We would kill or turn them if they stood in the way of our goal. We didn't bother seeking them out if they were long gone.

I couldn't help but think that I would have been one of the guardians to go down with my proverbial ship if it had come to that. No matter the horrible mess my charge had gotten himself into, I would have died to protect my duty and reputation. It seems my idiocy had no bounds back then in the pursuit of making myself a willing and compliant slave to the Moroi system.

I didn't know if his humor was improved or diminished by his situation. "Do I get any last wishes before my death? A final phone call? Last meal?"

"No," I replied. "But we do."

And with that, we pounced.

His blood almost gave a slight burning sensation of its own, as if he had consumed so much liquor that he had become a cocktail himself. It wasn't a pleasant taste, but the rush of death still overcame that minor inconvenience. Even through his screams, we attacked like a pack of hyenas.

We had strict orders to make the death brutal, and several took great pleasure in that fact. Mariana, for instance, took great pride in literally ripping a limb from the victim to drain the blood. That usually threw them into shock, though, so we often made her wait a moment or two. His sudden powerful scream signaled that his left arm was no longer attached. So did the splattering of blood across my face and shoulder.

For my part, I still preferred the neck, but only because I could take a taste and then watch the fear in their eyes before the life drained from their bodies. There was a light that seemed to go out, almost like a candle, followed by a strange sigh like the smoke that was always left once they were extinguished. It never failed to fascinate me time and time again.

I didn't always have this opportunity on joint kills, but as I was the one who had found our man, it was my right to take my prime spot. The kill was over all too quickly, though. Drink seemed to have done him in more than we had, and his heart couldn't take it.

"Almost glad we didn't have to deal with that," Frank sneered, kicking a leg.

I nodded in agreement. I had been close to snapping his neck just so I didn't have to taste anymore of that vile blood. Even now I was contemplating another kill just to rid myself of its flavor.

"Should we call Nathan?"

"Yeah, I'm not done tonight," I turned and started walking out, letting the others follow me if they wished. I could already hear someone dialing while footsteps fell in line. Nobody questioned me.

"Where are we going, Belikov?"

"Don't care, but I need blood and I want it fast. I have better things to do than prowl all night."

Several murmured in agreement, though none of them knew my real reason for wanting to return back to the estate. Rose was more motivation for me to return than ever before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Again! I hope everyone is doing well. If you haven't done so already, head on over to my bio page and check out the one-shot "A Moment In Time" which was updated with a special Valentine's Day one-shot. It's probably the first time I've written something completely fluffy and I'm almost proud of that fact.
> 
> Speaking of Valentines Day...This weeks question of the week is: what is your favorite romantic movie?
> 
> I LOVE The Holiday with Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz. It's also probably one of the very few Jack Black movies I enjoy, probably because it's just such a different role for him. I've probably watched the movie a dozen and a half times and I still devour it every single time. A close second it The Quiet Man, but its a toss up if you'd call that a Romance or a Drama. If you guys remember, I did reference that movie way back in Frostbite DPOV :)
> 
> Thanks again for all those who were paitent with me on this update. It kills me when life gets in the way but I am thinking about you and this story constantly. Please know that it will never be abandoned. Just hang in there, sign up for the alerts, and keep an eye out for updates. They WILL come.


	12. Chapter 12

I ordered several sets of clothing for Rose, knowing that her dirt stained shirt and jeans wouldn't do well for the few days she would be held in her guest room. The knowledge that she would be for my eyes only provided quite the unique opportunity for me as I selected a few more impractical options that I would never allow her to wear under the gaze of another man.

I was sure to only pick dresses; impractical for fighting, training, or much more than sitting in her room and debating her future with me. For once, money wasn't a problem and I was happy to provide her with only the finest available, throwing in a few items for myself that I hoped she wears when she felt a bit more comfortable in my presence. The sheer red bodice and matching panties probably wouldn't last long on her body, but they would be stunning before I tore them off of her.

My only bit of sentimentality I fell victim to was when I spotted a green dress made of soft cashmere that would fit her like a long sweater. It reminded me of the dress that had first caught my eye back at the academy when we first met. Not the black one the night of the lust charm, but the night of the Queen Tatiana's dinner, where I had watched her from my post. It was the first time I had seen her in anything other than training clothes or casual jeans, and I couldn't help but stare. I had been nothing then. No… now I could give her everything and more.

I ordered Inna to bring them to her immediately while I wrapped up some business. While I wished I could spend my entire time with Rose, persuading her to see the light of her situation, I still had responsibilities here. I didn't want to sacrifice my favor with Galina. Nathan had delivered the news about our most recent default client, but I had a meeting with her in less than an hour to make sure we didn't have others with late payments.

I made it in plenty of time to hear a raised voice behind the cracked door of Galina's study.

"...Putting the entire estate in danger. What if she breaks out of that room? Or worse, what if she manages to escape the estate?"

"Are you questioning the security of this establishment? If I remember correctly, you helped set up the security systems of the guest quarters so if there is some oversight, I believe you would be held responsible."

"I set up and signed off the financial purchase of them, but I am not a security expert," Nathan defended. "I freely admit that a trained former dhampir with a security background would be better suited to that task. The programs we have in place have proved suitable over the years, but we have also never dealt with someone being contained in one of the suites for longer than 48 hours. The longer she's in there, the longer she has to plot an escape."

"If she manages to escape-"

"She could lead a dhampir army right to us!"

Anger tinged Galina's voice at being interrupted, rising a single dangerous note in warning. "If she escapes that room, she would be killed within minutes by the residents here. She'd never see the sun. I trust Dimitri in this matter. He can contain the girl. If she was willing to track him down in the first place, she obviously has some devotion to him and that will give him a significant edge in controlling her."

"You trust Dimitri, but I question his motives. She could be useful in other ways."

My breath caught, choking me as my hand reached for the door knob.

"Such as?" she questioned.

"Excuse me, I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Nathan shot me a glare, not for one moment under the illusion that I was unaware of the conversation that was about to unfold. Galina waved me in, however.

"Not at all, Dimitri. Please, take a seat. Nathan, we'll talk later, but for now, I implore you not to question me or my authority. Your advice may be worth consideration, but my commands are absolute. You would do well to remember that."

It was a struggle for both me and Nathan to keep a straight face as I tried to keep smugness off my lips and I watch his teeth grind together in frustration at the public reprimand.

"Now, to business. We don't have any incoming clients this week, but we do need to collect some payment from a few of the institutions that we partner with in the local towns."

I nodded, listing a few of them in my mind. The club Nathan early on had taken me to was one of the said businesses, but several others 'partnered' with Galina. A bar or two, another club, an orphanage, one of the homeless shelters, a tattoo parlor, a small jazz style club that catered to small bands, and a high-profile restaurant that was open late into the night. Occasionally, Galina took clients there, and they would tailor a very _special_ meal to suit the evening. Each paid a small fee for services we rendered, be it protection, disposal of undesirables or excess bodies, exclusive use, and so on.

"Thankfully, we also don't have any defaulting clients this week so we should have some extra time to take care of things at home." Galina shot me a significant look with clear intentions.

"Nathan, I want you to go over our recent business transactions for the quarter and make sure that everything is in order. Dimitri, Nathan has brought up concerns with whether or not our security is fully up to date. I'd like you to look into that."

"Galina..." Nathan started hesitantly.

She barely began to open her mouth, harsh words on her tongue, before I answered.

"Certainly. I'd love to make sure everything is secure. I could have that done within the week as long as I have the specs and blueprints by tomorrow."

Her eyes narrowed slightly at Nathan. "See that he gets them. That is an order."

Nathans jaw set and he nodded once instead of answering.

"Other than that, I believe we are done for today. I'd like to congratulate you on a successful close on our default client, Dimitri. Well done. You're dismissed."

I stood, ready to change and get back to Rose, but I paused near the door when I realized I was leaving alone.

"If we might continue our discussion..."

"You're dismissed, Nathan. I don't want to hear more about it today. Don't make things worse for you by angering me further, is that understood?"

"Understood."

I left, not bothering to hide my smugness at Nathan's rebuke now that it wouldn't cost me some of Galina's disfavor. He didn't even attempt to hide his footsteps as he came up behind me. The moment I felt his hand touch my shoulder, I grabbed his arm and leveraged it to press him against the wall.

Still, he acted as if he had the upper hand. "You won't get away with this, you know. I know you are up to something. Whatever it is, I _will_ figure it out. I'm not duped so easily. You can't replace me and Galina won't let her Estate fall into the hands of some lovesick weakling and his pet. You might have upset the balance, but it'll be a cold day in hell if you ever gain control."

I scoffed at his ridiculous idea of me and his conspiracy of this grand plan I supposedly had. If he wanted to run around in circles like a dog chasing his tail then fine, let that keep him busy. I had better things to do. Still, I couldn't help goading him a little.

"You're wrong," I smiled devilishly. "I've already replaced you."

I jolted him once more against the wall before letting him fall to the ground and walked away without a second thought. Let him try to follow me. He wouldn't win against me and he knew it.

I changed out of my more formal clothing, a callback to my professional guardian days that fit in better with Galina's more elaborate dresses and Nathan's pressed shirts and blazers. Where Nathan often looked like he could have come from some high-end North Eastern American country club, I preferred a classic black suit. Something about the black and white from my former days felt comfortable, though instead of my ill-fitting guardian uniform, I was much happier in my custom Italian design. That was for our meetings only, though. My more casual jeans or training gear would always be preferable to anything else. That and my coat. Old habits die hard.

I braced myself as I punched the code for the second door to Rose's room. She hadn't made a sound yet, but she could easily be lying in wait. When I entered without any assault, I was able to look around.

She was fast asleep on the bed, not even bothering to slip between the covers. I shook my head at the sight, wondering if she had fallen asleep like that due to exhaustion or stubbornness (or, more likely, both) before covering her with the blanket that was thrown over the couch.

Inna had told me that the food I brought her had been devoured completely, much to my satisfaction. So much for her hunger strike. If her will power on that wasn't strong enough to last even a few hours than I might be able to break her down easier than I initially thought.

She seemed less thrilled by my second present, however. I had noticed that she was still dressed in the ragged clothes that I had dragged her here in. The clothing that I had bought had been rifled through but left on the coffee table. The red lace garment had even been tossed on the floor near the trash can.

Her stubbornness would eventually be her downfall, but two could play at this game. She would eventually need to shed those clothes and when she did, they would be taken. She could either wear the clothing I provided or walk around naked. It didn't matter to me. Truth be told, I might prefer the latter. I was being generous offering clothing at all.

I tossed the lingerie back on top of the pile and sat down on the couch, throwing my feet up across the length of it and opening my latest book to read until she awoke. One of the best benefits of immortality was the amount of time I was now afforded to read books I had always wanted to but never had the chance to before. I explored stories and genres that I wasn't totally sure I would enjoy before, always relying on my old standbys in my limited library. Now my bookcase was filled with whatever book I wanted and more. Anything that struck my interest even slightly was now mine, and I was often reading a new book once or a day, if not more.

I was half way through my current paperback when Rose suddenly popped up from the bed, seemingly asleep one moment and awake the next. She spotted me in the next instant and scrambled off the bed.

"What are you doing here?"

I barely gave her a glance as I finished my paragraph. "Waiting for you to wake up."

"Sounds kind of boring." She sounded overly confident for someone who was currently pressed up against the wall. In an unusual moment of bravery, she moved closer to me, around to the other side of the couch so she was facing me fully, before stepping back towards the wall again. She leaned casually, with her arms crossed in front of her, but the protective stance wasn't fooling anyone.

"Not so boring, I had company." I lifted a book that had been written a couple years prior but was by one of my favorite writers. It certainly held up to his other works.

I caught the surprise and wonder in her face as she saw my choice in books. I doubted she recognized or had any interest in it. Rose wasn't a fan of westerns, or to my knowledge, reading in general. She certainly hadn't done much for fun since I had known her. However, it seemed like my book fascinated her. When her inspection switched from the cover to my face, I realized it was the fact that _I_ was reading, and not the book itself.

She must have expected some dramatic change. It seemed like she kept hoping that I was someone completely different than who she had known before. But the old stories were lies. She didn't realize that I was practically the same person...just better. I was no longer held back by mortal bounds. Whether that was the limit of my body, my faulty emotions, needless societal conventions, or whatever. Once she understood that nothing had changed except for me being stronger, more sure, and more able to take care of myself and her, she would be begging me to awaken her.

"You slept for a long time," I commented flippantly, diverting her inspection. "And you ate." I couldn't help but add the jab.

"Yeah, well, I'm a sucker for pepperoni. What do you want?"

I placed my bookmark in and set it aside. "To see you."

Her eyes widened momentarily and I could barely see her jaw tremble, but that was the only acknowledgment she gave to the underlying meaning behind my words. The moment she regained herself, she spat out a retort. "Really? I thought your only goal was to make me one of the living dead."

I lowered my legs from the couch, sitting up from my recliner and patting the cushion next to me. "Aren't you tired of always standing?"

"I just woke up. Besides, If I can spend an hour tossing furniture around, a little standing isn't that big a deal."

"Sitting's not that big a deal either. I told you before, I'm not going to hurt you."

"'Hurt' is kind of a subjective term." Still, she sat in the chair across from me. I would have rather felt her skin next to mine, but this was acceptable progress. "Happy now?"

I gave her a small smile, a bit of peaceable agreement. "You still stay beautiful, even after sleeping and fighting."

Before, any compliment I would have given would have easily earned me an adoring smile. Now she offered me nothing but skepticism.

I nodded to the clothing between us. "You don't like any of them?"

She scoffed, flicking the pink sheer material of one skirt over the offending red scrap of nearly nothing. "I'm not here to play dress-up with you. Designer clothes aren't going to suddenly get me on board with joining the Strigoi club."

I honestly didn't know how to handle her. Well, in some cases I did. Her sarcasm and stubbornness were annoying but tolerable. It was one of the things that kept her interesting. However, I couldn't get a grasp of her motivations. What did she _want_? If I could find out what to offer her, what incentive she craved, than I could use that against her. That would be the key to convincing her.

Some craved strength, some craved wealth, some craved immortality. The power was addicting to me, though it wasn't something I had initially sought. But Rose...Rose wasn't giving up her secret.

I could provide for her now, easily. But wealth had never really been a concern for her. While never rich herself, she had never truly wanted for something with Lissa by her side. And though she wasn't as strong as a Strigoi by any means, she didn't seem to fear my strength any more than she should. She seemed to welcome death so I couldn't use that or the lure of immortality over her. Power...perhaps, but something told me she would prefer freedom over power. And if she had true freedom, she'd still probably run back to Vasilisa. She wouldn't be better off by any means.

No, I didn't have anything to use to convince her because she was offering me nothing. She closed herself off and spoke in nothing but snark and quips.

"Why don't you trust me?"

Her hands gripped the armchair, fingertips turning white with strain. "How can you ask that? You abducted me. You kill innocent people to survive. You aren't the same."

"I'm better, I told you. And as for the innocent..." I gave a shrug, knowing that I shouldn't give her more information about the greater business dealings than absolutely necessary, "No one's really innocent. Besides, the world is made up of predators and prey. Those who are strong conquer those who are weak. It's part of the natural order. You used to be into that if I remember correctly."

It was one of the few classes that Rose truly excelled at beyond her guardian classes. Biology and Animal Behavior. She would even show me some of the passages that interested her most.

There was one day after we had finished and I was putting up some mats after our evening practice that she started talking about how vision, hearing, and scent all were heightened in predators, allowing them to hunt more effectively.

"Which would you prefer? Better sight, hearing, or scent?" She had looked up at me from the bench where she was laying on her stomach, the book splayed out in front of her as she was writing notes.

"Hearing." It had only taken a moment of thought before I had answered her. I hauled the last of the blue mats on top of the pile with a thud and grabbed my water bottle to join her. "Music would sound better, more nuanced, and I think people would start making things that were more interesting if people had more advanced hearing. Plus, it wouldn't hurt to be able to hear enemies coming up on you from a distance."

"Always the guardian," she had grumbled. "Plus, you listen to nothing but country music and 80's techno-pop. You want _that_ to sound _better_?"

I couldn't help but laugh at her look of disgust, mocking as it was. She did have a point. As much as I acted like I was polished enough to enjoy classical music, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between one composer and another.

"Well, Miss-Know-it-All, what would you choose? Scent?" I sat on the floor next to her, overlooking her page.

"Oh God, no. Do you see how many guys I have to deal with around here? I smell them enough as it is." Her smile had been brilliant. It always was when we had simple conversations like those. "Sight."

I had thought it was an odd choice for someone who already had exceptional, though unusual, 'sight.' Her bond with Lissa allowed her to see things that I and the greater population couldn't. She was one of maybe a handful in the world with this ability, and the only one that we currently knew of.

"Seeing as far as the world allows, recognizing the smallest movement out of the corner of my eye, seeing in the dark. There are so many possibilities." There was a wonder in her voice when she looked up at me. "I'd like to see the smallest detail in whatever was in front of me."

What she didn't realize then was that she could already see more of me than anyone else ever had.

But now, it wasn't a game of flirting between potential lovers. This was prey and predators, and I had the indescribable hearing, sight, and yes, even scent. I was the ultimate predator that she should fear.

"It's different," she insisted.

"But not in the way you think." I gave her a questioning glance. "Why should drinking blood be so strange to you? You've seen Moroi do it. You've let Moroi do it."

She flinched at the memory, but I felt a quick pang of jealousy that someone else had tasted her blood. I still had yet to do so. I was still longing for that first pull...

"They don't kill," she bit out.

"They're missing out. It's incredible." I closed my eyes at the rush of power washed over me, memories of my most recent kills. "To drink the blood of another...to watch the life fade from them and feel it pour into you...it's the greatest experience in the world."

There was the same tremble in her jaw that I had seen her before, accompanied by a gentle bite to her lip. I ignored the shine in her eye as she whispered, "It's sick and wrong."

Instead, I sprang up from the couch, grabbed her, and threw her where I was laying just moments ago. A second later I was on top of her. My body was half on top of her, allowing my crotch to press into her thigh, reliving some of the building sensation her presence had been causing. Between that and the memories of the power behind taking a life, I was all but ready to take her now.

"No, it's not," I told her. "And that's where you have to trust me. You'd love it." I ran my nose along her jaw and up her cheek, taking in the scent of her hair and I felt her shiver beneath me. "I want to be with you, Rose. Really be with you. We're free of the rules others put on us. We can be together now – the strongest of the strong, taking everything we want. We can eventually be as strong as Galina. We could have a place like this, all our own."

She didn't struggle, but she was stiff underneath me. It was almost worse than if she had fought me. I'd almost prefer her attempting to get away since it would inevitably lead to me holding her tighter against me.

"I don't want any of this."

Then it struck me. Nothing...there wasn't a single thing I could offer her here would convince her to be awakened. Except...

"Don't you want me? You wanted me once."

"No." She glanced to the left, breaking eye contact. It was one of the easiest ways for me to tell that she was lying. She had never been able to lie effectively to my face.

"What do you want then? To go back to the Academy? To serve the Moroi who will throw you into danger without a second thought? If you wanted that kind of life, why did you come here?"

"I came here to free you." Her fire was back and she tried to knee me, earning nothing but a shove back into the couch with my hands and hips.

" _I AM FREE_. And if you'd really intended to kill me, you would have." I shifted, rubbing against her again as I placed my mouth on her neck and letting my fangs graze her skin as I spoke. "You couldn't."

She pulled away. "I messed up. It won't happen again."

"Suppose that were true. Suppose you were able to kill me now. Suppose you were even able to escape. What then? Will you go back home? Will you return to Lissa and let her continue bleeding Spirit's darkness into you?" Dying by my hand, quickly and relatively painless was one thing, but the slow death by literal madness, while she was nothing more than a slave to an antiquated system, was more than my anger could bear.

"I don't know." And I could hear the truth in her voice. There was confusion and doubt there. I could use that.

"It will consume you, you know. As long as she continues to use her magic, no matter how far away you go, you'll always feel the side effects. At least as long as she's alive."

She tried to push me away, but when that failed, she pressed back into the cushion instead. "What's that mean? Are you going to join Nathan and hunt her down?"

"What happens to her is no concern of mine; you are. If you were awakened, Lissa would no longer be a threat to you. You'd be free. The bond would break."

"And what would happen to her?" She asked fearfully. "She'd be left alone." Her loyalty to Lissa was almost as pathetic as that of an abused puppy to its master. No matter how much she was kicked, she would always come back with her tail between her legs as if she was the one to be blamed.

"Like I said, that's no concern of mine. Being with you is."

"Yeah? Well, I don't want to be with you." There was defiance there, but I could see right through it.

"I don't believe you."

"Believe what you want. I don't want you anymore."

I started to feel it, sense it, smell it. Her fear and something more. There was arousal there too. "You're lying. I can tell. I've always been able to." It wasn't quite a lie. While I may not have been able to sense in the same way, I still was able to tell before.

"It's the truth. I wanted you before. I don't want you now." With every declaration, her words became more and more hollow.

I pressed closer to her, certain that she was now able to tell my arousal just as much as I could tell hers. We were barely a breath away, so much so that I could feel the breeze on my lips every time she exhaled. "My exterior...my power, yes, that's different. Better." Oh, so much better. "But otherwise, I'm the same, Roza. My essence hasn't changed. The connection between us hasn't changed. You just can't see it yet."

I could, though. Her eyes darkened as I spoke and massaged the place where I held her against me. She squirmed slightly at my ministrations but ultimately came back, seeking more. "Everything's changed." Her denial was a weak whisper; not enough to convince herself, much less me.

"If I'm so different, then why don't I force you into an awakening? Why am I giving you the choice?"

She searched for something, anything, to argue against me and came back short. Uncertainty played at her features. I could feel success just within my reach. I was so close to having her. Her body, her blood, it was all just a grasp away.

I closed the distance between us, listening to her quick and hissing inhale as I let my lips play at the corner of her mouth. "And if I'm so different, then why did you kiss me back earlier?"

When I pulled back to see her reaction, her eyes were closed, but her mouth chased mine for a moment. Her body betrayed her, despite the ire in her eyes. And those flames did nothing but fuel the fire between us.

Still, her silence spoke volumes. It was all I needed to hear.

"No answer. You know I'm right."

I kissed her hard, laying my full weight against her so that she was completely pinned beneath me. Her arms tugged against mine, seeking the freedom to fight, and then...they didn't.

As quick as she was to fight me only moments before, she was now pressing against me. I allowed one hand free and it immediately found my shoulder, grabbing the cloth and holding me fast against her. I allowed my fingers to twine into her hair, controlling the kiss as her legs wrapped me close between her hips. Her body sought relief in me and mine in hers, but I toyed with her, enjoying the sounds of her mewls every time I pulled away and her desperate moans the moment I snapped back.

I was ready to make her mine once more. She was so compliant, so willing. Now was the time. My hand slid up her back, feeling the heat of her skin. It was so much hotter now than it was before. She was like fire, but the danger of her flames would easily be quelled in a few minutes.

Her head fell back and away, not in ecstasy, but in an annoying moment of rational thought. "No. We can't do this."

"Are you sure?" I forced her by the hair to look at me again. If she was going to deny me, she better look at me while she did so. Still, I tried to remain calm and gentle as persuaded her. "You didn't seem to mind. Everything can be just like it was before...like it was in the cabin..."

Her breathing picked up a little as I mentioned our one little getaway before everything went to hell. While it had led to my rise to immortality and power, it had taken her from me. I wouldn't let her slip away again. And I could sense her body's remembrance of that night, and everything it had entailed between us. Neither of us could deny how satisfying it had been to finally give in to what nature intended and society banned. We belonged together. I would have her now. She was mine. I just had to remind her.

"You certainly wanted it then..."

And dear God had she. Memories of her beneath me, writhing as I thrust into her, screaming my name as I came. She had been perfect; so beautiful and so willing.

"No," She pleaded. "I don't want that."

I suppressed the urge to lash out and tucked my face against hers to hide my frustrated sneer. After regaining my balance, I decided to take a difference course.

Gently, I let my kisses trail a path down her cheek, her jaw, and towards her neck. My kindness was rewarded with a whimper that was halfway between pleasure and pain. I knew she was still resisting me, but her hands held tight to my arms.

"What about this?" I asked. "Do you want this?"

She didn't have time to question me before I bit down, tasting her blood for the first time. It was euphoria; feeling her tense and release beneath me. Her surprised yelp quickly became a long, lingering moan of pleasure and she pressed her chest closer, demanding more.

I only allowed myself a drop before pulling away and leaving her wanting. I couldn't deny that I was desperate for more too, but I wanted to hear her beg for it. I wanted to hear her ask for her awakening.

Her eyes blinked open in dazed confusion as I wiped a bit of her blood from my lips. "Why...what...you said it would be my choice..." her words slurred slightly under the pull of the endorphins.

"It still is," I confirmed. While it wasn't her begging for awakening, the way her breasts rose and fell in heavy breaths had me hard against her thigh. If she didn't want to be awakened now...well there wasn't anything keeping me from having some fun until she gave into the inevitable. "I'm not doing this to awaken you, Roza. A bite like this won't turn you. This," I nodded to where her blood dripped from the fresh wound and didn't bother to hide the thirsty growl in my voice. "Well, this is just for fun."

She didn't fight me as I came back, feasting hungrily from her as her hands brushed through my hair. Her docile cries of my name as I indulged were almost as climactic as feeling her shattering around me, and once I was done, she looked at me with those same soft eyes that had once looked blissfully at me in those cabin walls. I offered her a pleased and satisfied smile before those same brown eyes fluttered close and her breathing fell even.

I was sure to check her pulse, looking for a strong and even beat before I moved her to the bed, tucking her under the white comforter and going to find a cotton bandage in the attached bathroom. She didn't even stir as I tilted her neck towards me and I cleaned her up. There was the temptation to draw more blood, but I knew anymore at this point would mean her death or awakening, and I wanted to hold true to my promise to her. I would only make things worse for myself now if I didn't.

After another half hour, I left her to start working on some of Galina's tasks for me, but I knew that I would be back soon. This new method of persuasion with Rose would be much more entertaining for us both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might have been one of the hardest chapters for me to write yet. I think I had to call in my "support" team of fellow writers three or four times just to have them reassure me that just because I can write Dimitri's POV, I am not actually manipulative and insane like he is at this point in time. Seriously, I had a small crisis when I looked at what I had just written and thought, "Holy Crap, that just came out of my mind. Something is wrong with me." His abusive treatment of Rose is unfortunately just starting, and we will see some pretty bad things come out of him. Remember that he had lost morality and his humanity at this point, replacing it with obsession and a drive for power. Much of the stuff I'm writing now will play a part in future chapters/books.
> 
> Oh, a lighter note, 20 imaginary points to anyone who can guess what book Dimitri was reading when Rose woke up. Hints: It IS a western, and it was made into a movie within the last decade. GOOD LUCK!
> 
> This week's Question of the Week is: What was your favorite concert you've ever been to?
> 
> My favorite was a Jason Mraz concert about five years ago (during his Beautiful Mess tour) because he is amazing live and super entertaining. Also, he hilariously jumped off stage to pee in some bushes because he couldn't find a toilet. But mostly the "sounds amazing live" thing. But I'm REALLY dying to see Train this year. I'm a HUGE fan and if anyone wants to fund this, please let me know. I accept and it would be about $200 for me and my hubs to have a nice weekend get away.
> 
> (PS, I'm TOTALLY joking. Some of you guys are so sweet that I wouldn't be surprised if you actually offered.)
> 
> Also, I POSTED ONE WEEK AFTER ANOTHER! Did you notice? I'm kinda proud of that. I shouldn't be because that should be the norm for me but it hasn't been recently. I am trying to be better for you guys. Thank you for your patience. And as always, thank you for reading, reviewing, sharing, following, and favoriting.


	13. Chapter 13

**_Author's Warning: This is an intense chapter with highly sexual themes including sexual abuse & dubious consent. Proceed with caution._ **

* * *

Rose continued to resist slightly for the next few visits. She scowled when she realized Inna had stolen her clothing while she showered and she had nothing but silk and chiffon to wear now. She still protested slightly when my fangs bit into her for the first time or so, but she yielded quicker with each visit. By the third time I had come to see her, to taste her, she smiled and welcomed me. It had been less than two days since she was adamant that she would never allow me to change her and now she was reaching out to me, begging for my company.

"My Roza."

She was reclining on the couch, but popped up immediately at my entrance and quickly came to meet my open arms. Her body pressed flush against me as if she couldn't get close enough, but I wanted more. I always wanted more. I let my hands slide down her back until they reached the curve of her ass and gripped it hard, pulling her tight against me. She giggled in response but didn't move to stop me. She did suppress a small keening yelp when my hands started making their way back up her back, taking the yellow fabric of her skirt with them.

Before I had her fully exposed, I dipped my head to nuzzle the spot that I so often favored. Her head fell back, immediately and automatically, opening herself up to my bite without question. I loved her submission to me. She already needed me. She needed my bite. She needed my protection. Soon she would see that she needed me to awaken her so that we could rule together for eternity. She was mine, forever.

I pulled back, her throat left unmolested for the moment, and she whined in protest.

"Soon, my sweet. Tell me, what have you done today?" I led her to the bed, laying down before pulling her up to straddle my waist. She did so happily, tracing the folds in my shirt as if they were the hills and valleys of the countryside. The little purring cat on top of me now was a far cry from the tiger I had caged in here initially.

"Nothing," She rolled her eyes. "Russian television is so strange. I think I've found a few Russian counterparts to game shows like 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?', but I also stumbled across some kids dressed like animals and competing to eat watermelon or ski a relay race across the stage in those furry hats." She laughed at the sheer ridiculousness of the memory. "I didn't understand a lick of it, but it was so...crazy that I couldn't stop watching. Do you own one of those Russian hats?"

"They're called Ushanka. I had one when I lived in Russia before, but not now. You do know you have satellite television, right? You can watch American TV in English."

She brushed off my comment. "Just learning the culture, Dimitri."

I eyed her skeptically. "How's that working for you?"

She gave me a fake smile and dropped her voice to something that was mocking a male announcer as she offered the catch phrase of one of the shows she had watched. "Kto khochet stat' millionerom?"

"I don't know how far that will get you here," I commented, "Especially since you're pronunciation still needs work."

"Da," she agreed with a quick nod.

I reached up to pull her to my lips, dragging the tie out of her hair in the process. It was so much sweeter to feel her locks around me, tantalizing my skin that was so much more sensitive to every touch.

Before much longer, she was rocking against me and my need was starting to build in reply. I could feel her pulse starting to race as my thumb traced over the artery in her neck, and my own heart began to beat faster trying to catch up. Rose had always driven me to madness, and the feeling of her fingers as they worked the buttons on my shirt did nothing to quell the insanity inside of me.

As soon as she had the last one freed, I flipped her beneath me, letting her go long enough to strip the shirt from my shoulders and toss it off the bed before pinning her again. Her leg wrapped around mine in a silent plea and I answered by tucking her hip closer before nipping at her shoulder and collarbone. Basically, everywhere but where I knew she wanted me. I wanted her to be as crazy as I was before I allowed her that relief.

"I need you. Please, Dimitri." Her mewls turned me on almost as much as the way she pulled and pushed against me. Her hands sought any purchase they could find, and a moment later they would wander again. All the while, her mouth would drift from my lips to my jaw, and when I had overwhelmed her, they would simply sigh against the open air.

"What do you want? A bite? The cabin?" Her fingernails bit into my arm at both suggestions.

"Either. Both." She gave a little cry as my hands cupped her breasts, still fully covered in the thin fabric of her dress. "Just give me something."

"I told you, Rose. We can have it all, but you know what you have to do."

She pulled back and gave me a smile I hadn't seen in so long. It was a secretive smile that I had been on the receiving end of more than once and that I had seen her give other guys once or twice when she was trying to flirt her way into a favor. Before I could figure out what she was going to ask from me, I felt her hand cup me with a gentle squeeze.

It had been weeks since I had been touched by anyone. My own hand was hardly sufficient and feeling Rose, of all people, using her deft hands to undo my pants had me wanting to give in so badly. I groaned as she started to slip her fingers past my zipper before it turned to a growl and I had both of her hands pinned above her head again.

The mirth in her eyes changed quickly when she saw that my move was out of fury and not foreplay.

"No, Rose. I'll say what happens and when. Do you understand?"

She stared at me in a small act of defiance, but only a moment before her eyes lowered.

"Say it. I want to hear you say it."

She bit her lip before answering the command. "I understand, Dimitri. You say what happens and when it happens."

I nuzzled the spot where I had bitten her just a handful of hours earlier. The nicks had lessened with bandages but were still fairly visible. At this rate, she'd likely have a scar and permanent badge of my ownership on her and I couldn't help but revel in the thought. While my body had healed and became stronger once awakened, I still had signs of the worst of my battle wounds. This mark would stay with her.

"Good girl," I praised, earning a little hum from her. Then I rewarded her for her good behavior with the ecstasy I knew she craved.

I could never completely have my fill of her, especially feeding from her so often, so I stopped when she grew weaker in my arms. Licking the last drops of blood from her fresh wounds, I grabbed the blood-stained handkerchief that we had used earlier and let her press it to her neck.

She was sated and relaxed as I redid my pants and found my shirt. I didn't bother with all the buttons since I was just going to change (I had come right after a meeting with Galina), but I allowed her eyes to wash over me before I left. I took a moment to enjoy the view of her too. Her breasts threatened to spill from the top of the dress where I had fondled them, and her skirt lay askew over her upper thighs. I seriously considered going back to her and ravishing her, but I knew I needed to stay strong, for myself more than her.

Punching in the door code, I gave her once last glance. "Remember Rose, we can have it all. You just have to ask." Then I left without letting her reply.

* * *

I needed to shower off our interaction. I could still feel her hands on me, even 15 minutes later, and no amount of words on a page could keep me from picturing what could have been if I hadn't stopped her. I knew it was the right thing to do to keep her wanting, but it didn't make me feel any better. If anything, it made me feel more frustrated.

The hot water beat over me for a minute or so, allowing my muscles to relax before my mind went back to the image of Rose, laying back on the bed in her tiny little dress. She almost looked innocent, a lamb that was unafraid of the wolf prowling nearby. I could rip her to shreds with her so dazed, and she'd do nothing but smile as if I were everything to her.

I was hard again, imagining her welcoming me as enthusiastically as she did today. At her wanting and whimpering at every touch. But I wanted my docile little lamb. I wanted to tear her apart. Before long, I wasn't imagining her straddling me as she unbuttoned my shirt. I didn't imagine kissing her and feeling her pulse swiftly rise under my touch.

My thoughts became more...primal. I saw her watching me and realized my power over her. I recognized the moment she feared me as she should, and the moment she decided to run. I saw the moment she realized it was useless.

I didn't hesitate to pull her to me by the hair when she tried to get away. Her head jerked back while she struggled to free herself, but my grip didn't loosen and I wrapped the locks around my hand until she was close enough to grasp. One arm wrapped around her waist, the other across her chest so that I could grip her where she once thought the heart resided. She was wrong of course, but it did provide me a nice handful. It would give me a pretty decent view as soon as this dress was off her too.

'You're mine, Rose. There's no use in running from the truth.'

I groaned outside of my fantasy, my hand tightening around my engorged shaft while I began to pump slowly from tip to balls. My eyes screwed shut, seeing Rose again as she struggled against me in my mind.

Her terrified whimpers did nothing but urge me on. She was hardly the compliant kitten that I had just left. My little lamb was ripe for the feasting and I was hungry. Famished, even. Until I had my fill of her I wouldn't be satisfied. Without bounds in my fantasy, everything was fair game. Nothing could possibly be more delicious as that.

I let my teeth graze her neck, from the base of her shoulder to ear, feeling her shudder as I nipped and tugged at the little stud piercing there. "So beautiful and all mine."

Her head fell back in slight surrender and I jumped on the opportunity to tear the twisted bust of her dress. The fabric tore all the way down to her stomach, revealing everything. The shock made her struggle again, but I pressed her against me again, one hand pinching at her nipple and watching her wince until her lip became caught between her teeth and her ass pressed into me.

She moaned as I slowly released the swollen bud, circling it in gentle stroke to soothe her and then assaulting her once more with a sharp flick of my finger. When she protested, I smacked the other breast, watching the imprint of my fingers appear slowly over her skin.

Her cry was caught somewhere between pain and pleasure; right where I wanted her to be. But my own discomfort was starting to overcome my own pleasure.

I walked us towards the couch until I felt her thighs press against the arm of it and then I pushed her forward. She barely caught herself in time to put her hands out, but my hand was on her back before she could stand again.

I flipped her skirt up, bearing her beautiful ass to me. There were so many times I had watched it back at the Academy, falling into an unconscious stare while she ran around the track until I was forced to snap back to our unfortunate reality. Now, nothing kept me from taking her.

'Dimi-'

'Hush!' A sharp smack punctuated my words as that firm buttock shimmied from my slap. I didn't need her to speak for now. I just need her.

I ripped the tiny thong from between her legs and let my finger slide between her folds. She was already so wet for me and she pressed back against my hand.

So eager. So willing.

I unzipped myself and allowed my pants fall to the floor, plunging into her the moment my cock was free. Her scream didn't detour me or my pace and when she tried to pull away, I used her hair and hips to pull her back to me.

My fingers dug into her as she clutched the fabric of the sofa. Her dark locks pulled against my hand, forcing her screams into the air with each trust I made.

And my hand pumped harder as I watched it all in my mind's eye. One hand held the shower wall, and the other was tugging on my dick furiously. I let my finger graze the sensitive bundle of nerves under my tip with each pass and as I imagined Rose's body resisting and succumbing to me in equal measure until I couldn't take it anymore. My release overcame me with a groan and I allowed a moment of relaxation as I came down from my high. My back hit the wall and the water washed away the evidence of my pleasure.

My frustration was only momentarily relieved, though. As much as I had enjoyed my little fantasy, the reality of not being able to fuck Rose the way I was dying to was driving me up the wall.

I was mad with need due to having her so close. And she had made it perfectly clear already that she was fairly willing to offer herself to me on a silver platter. Granted, that wasn't exactly what was stopping me.

No, I was holding back because the moment I let her have me, she would control a little part of me. And I couldn't let _anyone_ control me.

I controlled Rose, not the other way around. She lived or died by my command. She lived under my protection. Her safety was mine. Her blood was mine. Her body was mine. Her awakening would be mine. Her pleasure would be mine also.

* * *

Galina had contracted several members of the Estate out on a small raid. A local Strigoi leader up North was hoping to take out a mayor who was causing issues with a business he was running and asked for the Estate's help. Like any contract work, it was open to any of us willing to volunteer and while I was hesitant to leave Rose without me nearby, I was also eager to prove my continued loyalty to Galina. I knew that Nathan was still trying to undermine me. If I didn't continue to fight for ground in this battle, I would lose the war. I enlisted Samuel to keep an eye on her while I was gone and took the job knowing I would be back before daybreak the next morning.

The job went according to plan. The scene was too chaotic for anyone but a trained alchemist to recognize it as Strigoi, and it was doubtful that they would get involved without someone tipping them off. No Moroi or dhampir were involved. Just the mayor, her husband, a nanny, and three children. Part of the job was making it look like a robbery. Some of the guys cracked the safe, one tore down a large television set, and I went after the mayor's jewelry box.

It was filled with diamonds and jewels of all sorts, and I was happy to scoop them up into my pockets. I had seen women wear things like this at events I had guarded over. They were beyond opulent, laying across them like artwork or dangling from their ears as if they were trying to outshine the chandeliers. The contents of this one box were probably worth tens of thousands, maybe a hundred thousand, and easily more than I had made in a year before. And they were all for nothing more than to show off the wealth of the wearer. They provided nothing of value, just a symbol of power and strength.

Well, the strong can fall. Wealth can be taken. And the new powers will rise.

Of course, some of it was expected to go to Galina and some of it would be returned to us as a portion of our payment for the job. However, nobody would miss a pair of diamond stud earrings. I rolled them between my fingers, remembering my little fantasy from the day before as I slipped them in my pocket. It wasn't uncommon for us to slip a little tip for ourselves every now and then and I didn't indulge often. The last time I had snatched something for myself was when I found a packet of cocaine on a similar job that I was more than happy to resell it for some cash. At a price of $150 per gram or more on the streets, it was some quick money and high demand made it easy to sell among some elite customers.

And while I was certain the diamonds would do just as well on the black market, I had a much different plan for these little beauties.

* * *

Rose surprised me a couple of days later. She was had started expecting me on a regular basis, and I often visited her daily; twice a day when I was able to. Most of our visits were spent conversing before I left her with a bite to remind her what was coming eventually. I always pushed her towards the awakening, talking about what would await us afterward. What our life would entail. She occasionally asked what I did outside of her walls and I would give her general pictures. If there was any hesitance brought on by my words, it was always be erased with each new gift.

There was absolutely no hesitation or question as to what she wanted today, though. The moment I walked in, I saw her. I always saw her immediately of course, but today, I saw nearly _all_ of her. She was dressed in the red little thing I had so enjoyed picking out and adorned with nothing else but her diamond earrings. Between that and the marks on her neck, proclaiming her mine and mine alone, I was alight in an instant.

I was on her within the next moment, caging her in place against the chair as she rose up to meet me half way. Her arms wrapped around my neck at the same time I pulled her legs around my hips and lifted her up with our lips locked in a heated kiss. Her fingers tugged at my hair, demanding more while my hands kneaded at her ass, helping her grind against me.

There was a pathetic little cry as I ripped her away from me, tossing her to the still messy bed, but I followed after her. When she tried to crawl away backwards, perhaps in jest, I wouldn't have any of it. I grabbed her by the ankles and drug her back, smacking her leg for the defiance. She asked for this, and I was damned determined to give it to her. Little minx couldn't tempt with without repercussions.

The matching panties that came with her little outfit were destroyed next. If she ever wanted to wear this thing again – and I would make sure she did so on occasion – I wouldn't need that little nuisance. The shredded lace was pretty on her, but it was just as pretty on the floor as far as I was concerned.

Her little laugh became a shriek when my two fingers plunged into her without warning. She tried to kick and get away for a moment, but my tight grip kept her in place. Dear God, she was still so tight and warm. It was better than I had been able to remember in any one of my daydreams.

I moved slowly in and out of her, letting my fingers pull out to nearly the nail before diving back into her. Eventually, those whimpers of discomfort became more pleasured as she became gradually more wet, her body warming under my touch. I watched as her breasts rose with each labored breath and before long she was moving against my hand, begging for more.

I had her right where I wanted her, on the cusp of her pleasure when I let her go and stepped back. Her frustration was unleashed with a growl that nearly matched my own.

"That wasn't nice, Roza, teasing me like that." I smiled, watching her wiggle and try to find relief without my aid. The moment her hand moved towards her cunt, though, I smacked it away, letting my fingers graze her thighs for good measure. "Don't you dare."

"Dimitri! Please!" Her hands gripped the sheets, straining with the effort it took to not touch herself.

"I haven't figured out what I'm going to do with you yet. That was a fairly naughty trick. Might deserve a punishment. I'm half tempted to walk out of here. No kiss. No bite. Nothing."

Her eyes became fire the moment I mentioned the bite. It was all a bluff on my part, of course. I was just as addicted to her blood as she was addicted to the bite. Well, perhaps not _just_ as addicted, but I wasn't going to let myself leave without a taste of her.

Especially, as I hated to remind myself, that I would have to go without doing what I wanted to so badly right now. I couldn't give into my own pleasure if it gave her even an ounce of control over me. My cock was already protesting my resolve as it pressed against the fly of my pants, and I could just imagine the satisfaction of feeling myself fill and fuck where my fingers had been only moments before. Not yet, though.

What I could do, however, was assert my control over her and drive her crazy in the process.

"Is that what you want, Rose? Do you want me to leave? Should I leave you all alone?"

Her lip trembled as she shook her head, her hair dancing gracefully over her shoulders as she kept eye contact with me.

"Then will you be a good girl?"

With her single, sharp nod, I pulled her to the edge of the bed and kneeled. Her knees pressed together but I pried them apart with a smirk and let my hands wander the smooth skin of her inner thigh. Not even training and battle had scared her here. The perfect skin was soft and warm under my touch.

Her head fell back as I moved higher, slowly slipping under the fabric that barely concealed her from my view, and letting my finger trace the line of her slit. I circled her little nub once, just enough to make her hips rise slightly before she lowered herself again with nothing but a warning look from me. She even had the grace to look apologetic for her disobedience.

With one hand gently touching her, my other was placed firmly on her thigh, feeling the way her blood rushed under my palm.

I enjoyed watching how each new touch brought her more and more under my spell. A flick back and forth made her wince. A gentle rub with two fingers up and down between her delicate folds made her sigh. And my favorite, a thumb pressing on that little button while my fingers teased at her, hot and wet, made her cry out for me.

I kept her hands at the bed sheets while my hands worked her, but when my tongue replaced my fingers, I felt her grip my hair as she shrieked. I allowed this one concession because it freed me up to hold the rest of her body in place while she tried to press herself closer.

"Dear God," she yelled, letting everything else become incoherent mumbles.

I smiled and hummed against her, and felt her writhe in response.

She didn't last much longer under my ministrations, each cry becoming more and more frantic as she tried to hold on despite my best effort to drive her further towards that cliff. I felt her so close, so damn close, and the moment she fell off the edge with my names on her lips, I turned my head and bit into her thigh.

The appeal of sex and biting hadn't been apparent to me initially, but any doubt that had been left after my awakening and Rose's sudden appearance was dashed with this single moment.

I was able to taste her, all of her, on my tongue. Her sweet essence mixed perfectly with the tang of her blood and I fed greedily, holding her legs apart as her orgasm overcame her in waves.

For the first time since my initial taste of her, it was nearly impossible to stop feeding. I wanted more. I wanted it all. I pulled away, satisfying myself with her lips and letting her taste her blood that still remained. She pulled away initially, but I pressed against her until she relented. Before long, she was kissing me back with equal vigor, panting and catching her breath every time I nipped at her ear or jaw. I didn't allow myself back at her neck, knowing that I couldn't help but take another bite if I tempted myself.

Eventually, our white water river of passionate desire flowed into gentle waves, cresting with the occasional rock of our hips or a touch here and there.

I kissed the upper swell of her breast, still encased in the little red frock, and then fell back beside her on the bed, pulling her close to me. She nuzzled my neck before relaxing against my shoulder and drifting into a blissful daze of endorphins that I knew would keep her sated for hours.

While she hummed her contentment, I gave a smirk at my own little bit of self-satisfaction for taming the little minx.

"Good girl, Roza. Good girl."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment on this one. I don't typically ask but I really want to know your thoughts.
> 
> I know I had said before (in the first chapter) that there would only be one author's note, but I felt like this one really needed an additional TW due to its extra intensity. I had several prereaders look it over as well to make sure that I wasn't pushing things too far and to weigh in a little. As difficult as this chapter might be to digest for some, I do believe it is a necessary thing to see Dimitri at his worst so we can understand him in later books. This is one of those "worst" moments. I can't promise that this will be the only hard chapter, but I will try to space out the difficult moments for you. I kinda need to space them out for myself as well.
> 
> For those of you wondering, the book that Dimitri was reading in last week's chapter was No Country for Old Men which was written by Cormac McCarthy. It was written in 2005 and made into a movie in 2007. McCarthy is also known for other stories like All the Pretty Horses and Blood Meridian.
> 
> This week's Question of the Week is: What has been your favorite vacation?
> 
> When I was 18, I went on a one-month long tour of France, Italy, and Greece with some friends. We did the typical things like visiting the Louvre and taking a gondola in Venice, but we also did some more crazy things like repelling down a tower in Assisi and volunteering at a sea turtle rescue in Athens. I even got to DJ for a half hour or so at an Italian wedding at the Rotunda in Vicenza, Italy. It was exceptionally memorable.
> 
> Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, despite its intensity (or perhaps because of it) and I can't wait to see you all next week. Please remember to share, favorite, follow, and comment.


	14. Chapter 14

"Let me see your neck." I was laying pressed against her back, my arm settled along her hip after having it up her skirt just a moment ago. Her panties were across the floor where I had thrown them. She was still a bit breathless, but otherwise purring like a little kitten that had just been pet and fed.

"Already?" When she turned to question me, I gave her a disapproving look and she complied quickly. Even if I did plan to cut our time short with a bite now, that wasn't for her to decide or argue about. I didn't see why she would mind anyways. I had already given her one high, and I would think she would be begging for the other by now.

She pulled her hair up and away, presenting herself willingly, but looked a bit surprised when it wasn't my teeth that grazed her neck, but my hands and the cool metal of another gift.

The blue sapphire necklace had been a token from an heiress I had killed the day before. Her father was late on his first payment, but didn't have a guardian to offer and didn't have the money to pay the penalty. Galena decided that his oldest daughter was payment enough and should provide enough incentive for him to not miss any other payments. After all, he did have three other daughters to worry about.

Taking the necklace had seemed kind in retrospect. At least, it was far kinder than what the other three men with me had decided to take from her before she died. I had no interest, despite my current issue with Rose. The slight blonde just hadn't compared to her. So taking the necklace and a bite to sedate her a little, I allowed the others to have their fun before calling in the job as completed.

The platinum setting and deep blue stones looked much better on my Roza anyways. "Beautiful." When I slipped my finger under the strap of her dress I watched her shiver under my touch. "It matches."

She continued to toy the jewelry with a pleased smile, letting her fingers trace each facet. "Where did you get it?"

"I have my sources."

When she fell back again into the pillows – offering me a little shimmy of her chest to show off the sparkle against her wonderful body – she laughed. "You're just like Abe."

"Who?" I didn't remember any Abe from the Academy, nor did I remember her ever speaking of him before. A part of me stirred in jealous anger.

"This guy I met," She said it so casually as if another man touching her wouldn't cost them their life. "Abe Mazur. He's some kind of mob boss...he kept following me."

"Abe Mazur was following you?" As soon as the name Mazur struck me, I knew it was far worse than just another idiotic man vying for her attention. If Abe Mazur had started paying attention to her, Rose was in much more trouble than she knew and I wouldn't doubt her being completely clueless about the type of power he wielded. I made that mistake long ago, and I was still paying the price for my naivety.

"Yeah. So?" She could tell the conversation had shifted and was closing herself off to me. I couldn't allow that, though. I needed to know what he wanted with her. If he had made a deal with her, there was no way she understood the cost.

"Why? What did he want with you?"

"I don't know." At least there she was being honest. Her fearful respect of me had made her much more hesitant to lie, knowing the consequences. "He kept wanting to know why I was in Russia, but finally gave up and just wanted me to leave. I think somebody from home hired him to find me."

Of course. If someone hired him to find Rose, he would be the one person who could track her down better than anyone else. No private investigator could match him. He could probably track her down to this very estate if he wanted to. His connections were everywhere and his influence ran deep. Mazur was the one to call if you wanted anything done, and you wanted it done quick, quiet, and completely.

"I don't want you near Abe Mazur. He's dangerous." Her back pressed further into the bed when my voice raised, but I needed her to know how serious I was. I pushed the strap of her dress down her arm in a petition to get into her good graces again. "Of course, people like that won't be an issue when you awaken."

She pressed into my hand imploringly, making me smirk. It didn't take much to distract her these days and it was almost entertaining to see how little I had to do to get her running to me.

"What have you been doing today?" Her question was punctuated with little breathy sighs as I let my hands trace her chest and arms, paying special attention to the outline of her newest addition to her jewelry collection.

I didn't want much small talk right now, but it was the best time I had to convince her to see things my way so I allowed it for her sake. "Errands for Galina. Dinner."

She frowned.

I knew she didn't like the fact that I fed and killed. It had been something that we had discussed before, but it was a reality of life. It was part of nature that she would have to get over. I couldn't coddle her over such a simple thing as a meal.

"Do you drink from them...for fun?"

My lips were at her neck by this point, playing across her skin in a twisted game we enjoyed playing to see who would break first. She lost a vast majority of the time, but her question did stop me for a second. It didn't sound like repulsion in her voice, but jealousy. I couldn't help but smile as I let my teeth graze her ear before whispering, "No, Roza. They're food; that's all. It's over quickly. You're the only one I take pleasure in."

Her body arched into me with the admission, offering a little moan as a reply. I let my lips quiet her.

When she had been sated again, she mapped the edges of my face before burying her hands in my hair and shifting under me. "You keep wanting to awaken me...but we won't be able to do this anymore. Strigoi don't drink from each other, do they?"

"No," I answered automatically. I had no plans to humiliate Rose as Galina had done to me. I couldn't promise that Galina wouldn't do the same to her, but it was rare for us to feed from one another, and we certainly didn't do so like Rose and I were doing now: for sexual pleasure. "But it'll be worth it. We can do so much more..."

The power we would have. The way we could battle side by side would make us all but unstoppable. Plus, the pleasure we could finally have in one another again. I'd probably take her the moment she was awakened and fed. Just the thought of watching her make that first kill, seeing her realize her own strength and ability made me want her already.

I tried to remind her how good it had been between us, both with my words and with my touch. No matter how often I brought her to pleasured screams, she still resisted the one thing that I insisted on before letting us go any further. I knew it was making her restless because it was driving me crazy. I had needlessly picked fights once or twice around the Estate, and I had become ruthless in training. My only relief was taking up odd contract jobs for Galina and allowing myself to take my full anger on my victims there. Nothing else seemed to take off the constant edge that I felt.

"Here it comes," She rolled her eyes flippantly and pulled away. "The sales pitch. Eternal life. Invincible. Nothing to stand in our way."

"It's not a joke." I grabbed her hand, pulling her face to face to me. She winced but I didn't let go. "We can't stay like this forever. You can't stay here forever."

Galina's warning rang in the back of my head like the echo of an alarm bell while I shoved her away back towards the pillows. I was too annoyed to even look at Rose for a moment. She was only making life harder for us both with her stubbornness and if she didn't realize that soon she might get us both thrown out of here or worse.

Several minutes later, the bed shifted as she moved closer to me. I must have looked calmer or she must have worked up the bravery to finally approach me. "Can't we talk about this later?"

One of her hands massaged my neck, but I felt much more in tune with the one that caressed my thigh. I had her pinned in a fiery kiss immediately, letting my frustration pour into her until only desire remained. It couldn't last long, though. If I let the desire run its course, we'd both fall further and I couldn't let that control slip.

If only she'd accept the inevitable.

"Come on." I pulled her up suddenly, making her stumble at the movement. "Let's go."

"Where are we going?"

"Outside." Perhaps a trip outside her perfect little room would remind her that the world didn't end here. She would have to rejoin civilization eventually.

She fell back slightly on the bed, catching herself in the shock. "Out..outside? But...that's not allowed. We can't."

"We can do anything I want!" How dare she presume to tell me what was and wasn't allowed?! I thought she had learned her position here. I was the one who provided for her and she didn't have the authority to question me.

I jerked her up by the hand again, catching her this time so she wouldn't fall, before stepping forward to unlock the door. Shifting to keep the pad out of view, I punched in the code. It had been a while since Rose had even seemed interested in escaping, another reason that made me question why she was still hesitant to be awakened, but I couldn't let my guard down.

She waited behind me for the second door as well, letting me pull her by the arm past the hall guard the moment we were out. He didn't speak to me, but he did grasp his radio. I only needed two guesses as to whom he was calling. One was vastly better than the other, but he would be annoying as hell if we happened to meet him.

Rose slowed us down slightly. I kept tugging her behind me, but it seemed that she was distracted by everything around her. It didn't look like the Guardian training of looking for exits, though. Instead, she was admiring the art, the gilded ceilings, and patterned rugs. It was a far cry from the Academy and probably anywhere else she had been, but we hardly had time for a tour right now.

"What are you doing?"

_Shit._

Nathan stood from the place where he seemed to be hiding in the hall, almost as if he had been waiting for us. I kept Rose behind me as he stepped closer, ready to take him on if needed.

"I'm taking her for a walk." Nathan was so fond of referring to Rose as my pet, but he seemed to find no humor in the jab.

"That's against the rules. Bad enough you've still got her here. Galina gave orders for you to keep her confined. We don't need some rogue dhampir running around."

I didn't want to laugh outright, but it was tempting. Rose could hardly stand on her own with all the endorphins flooding her system. She would have had a hard time taking on a Strigoi, much less an entire house of them, at her best. Now, well, she'd be dead in an instant if I let her outside of my sight.

"Does she look like a threat?"

Nathan glanced towards Rose and eyed her more like a treat than a threat. I don't know if it was Rose who moved further behind me or my push that made her move.

Either way, when he glanced back towards me, he shrugged. "No, but I was ordered to babysit this door, and I'm not going to get in trouble for you taking a field trip."

"I'll deal with Galina. I'll tell her I overpowered you. It shouldn't be that hard to believe."

Nathan pressed forward, careful not to touch me and start a physical battle. "You're so full of yourself. I didn't awaken you so that you could act like you're in charge around here. I did it so that we could use your strength and inside knowledge. You should be answering to me."

I turned, not bothered by his words, and grabbed Rose's hand. "Not my fault if you're not strong enough to make me do it."

I heard him move to attack. Nathan sounded like he needed a reason for Galina to believe I overpowered him and now he had one. Before he could touch me or Rose, I had spun on him and thrown him to the wall. I was on him again before he could catch his footing and bloodied his nose until I felt it crunch under my fist. With a final kick to keep him down for a few moments longer, I let him feel his pain and humiliation.

"Don't try it," I warned. "You'll lose." His jacket was hanging on a chair by the window and I used it to wipe his blood from my hand before finding Rose and calling over my shoulder. "I told you, I'll deal with Galina. But thanks for your concern."

"You're not safe! Neither of you are! She's lunch, Belikov! Lunch!"

Rose whimpered a bit beside me, and it was unclear if it was from Nathans words or the way my hand tightened around hers when he spoke them, but I wanted to put as much distance between us and him as possible. And quickly.

"Nathan scares me."

Her words were quiet, and the echoes off the walls were almost easier to pick up than her breathy whisper.

"He won't touch you." I would make sure of it. "You have nothing to worry about."

The clang of the door against the stairwell halted our conversation. She only made it few steps, but by the second stumble, I figured it was easier to just pick her up than to be constantly catching her before she fell and hurt herself.

She did better about not letting the ornate fixings here distract her. I think she was more concerned with whom we might run into, and the moment Marlen came into view, she stiffened.

"Rose Hathaway. I remembered your name – just like you told me."

It took me a moment to place just where he might have known her before I realized that he had been the one to bring Rose's message to the Estate. He hadn't lived the embarrassment down since. He didn't prevent us from passing, though, not when I instructed him to.

"He wants to kill me," she said as soon as we were out of earshot.

"All Strigoi want to kill you." Well, besides me. It seemed odd to single Marlen out specifically.

"He really does...I tortured him."

"I know. He's been in disgrace ever since then and lost some of his status here."

"That doesn't make me feel any better." I think she was speaking to herself more than me, but I answered anyway.

"Marlen is no one you need to worry about. You fighting him only proved to Galina that you're a good addition around here. He's beneath you."

The maze stretched out far in front of us, three entrances open. I knew the far right was the most direct out to the rest of the world at the moment, but the left would lead me to the place that I was hoping to take her.

Galina enjoyed going to extensive detail to make this portion a bit more decorative, filling it with several night-blooming flowers and cutting the hedge into decorative patterns. While other entrances would weave around this place, there was always at least one easy access here. There was a large courtyard with a fountain and koi pond up ahead, but I knew we wouldn't make it when Rose started to slow beside me.

"I'm tired."

I helped her sit in a patch of grass in one of the small clearings. It wasn't as decorative as some of the other spaces over here, but it did provide some quiet. I knew the blood loss was starting to take its toll on her, and our excursion was probably more exercise than she had gotten in days. It didn't surprise me one bit when she laid down, taking a deep breath of the jasmine filled air.

"This is amazing. What's it like for you?"

"Hmm?"

"There's enough light that I can see pretty clearly, but it's still dim compared to day. Your eyes are better than mine. What do you see?"

I looked around, seeing each detail of the hedges and the flowers clear and crisp. There didn't seem to be a difference between night and day for me, except the ability to move outside of shadows. I could still see the stars, though they seemed dimmer against the lightness of the sky.

"For me, it's as bright day." I paused for a moment. "It could be like that for you too."

I could see her trying to count the stars, and when that failed, she looked at the shadows that fell between the hedges. "I don't know. I kind of like the darkness."

I couldn't help but scoff. "Only because you don't know better."

"So you keep telling me."

She was so frustrating, in so many ways. Part of me wanted to be rid of her believing that it would make my life infinitely easier, but I knew that I couldn't lose her. I turned suddenly, pushing her hair out of her eyes as she startled. "Rose, this is driving me crazy. I'm tired of this waiting. I want us to be together." I let my voice dip, tilting my head towards her. "Don't you like this? What we have? It could be even better."

I smiled, feeling her breath pick up against my cheek as she started to succumb to my touch and seduction. Compulsion was hardly necessary. I was just about to kiss her, hopefully sealing the deal when she stopped.

"Why?"

Her question pulled me up short. "Why what?"

"Why do you want me?" She looked almost as confused as I was at her question.

"Why wouldn't I want you?"

I had always wanted her. As long as I had known her, I had wanted her. When I couldn't have her, I still wanted her. When I thought I had lost her, I had wanted her. And now that she was here...I wanted her more than anything. I wasn't going to let her slip through my fingers. She was mine. I had fought hard for her. I wasn't going to let someone else take what was rightfully mine. She had to know that I had always wanted her and we belonged together. We were better, stronger, unbeatable together. She was the perfect ally, and with her, I would be able to do anything I pleased.

She twisted around just a second before I heard the footsteps. Galina had kept her feather light walk, one that she had tried her best to instill in me, and I had been so enthralled in Rose that I had almost missed the sound of her. She was nearly on top of us before I could scramble to my feet.

Rose didn't bother to move from her place on the ground. If Galina had a mind to kill her, it wouldn't have mattered, and perhaps Rose was smart enough to accept that. Still, I tried to position myself to offer some protection.

"Nathan told me you broke my rule. I see that she is roaming free." She spoke in our native tongue, perhaps to keep our conversation private. I don't know if she knew whether or not Rose spoke Russian or not.

"I have her under control. As you can see, she's not much of a threat. I was hoping that a change of venue might help her come to the right conclusion about her future."

"It seems like you have been playing more than persuading. I did not allow you to keep her here as a toy, Dimitri. You promised me a strong soldier, not an addicted blood whore."

"I assure, you will get what I've promised." I switched to English for Rose's sake, introducing her. "Rose, this is Galina. She's the one who has been kind enough to let you stay."

The women eyed one another momentarily, one with wariness and the other with almost disdain. Rose spoke first, breaking the silence.

"Spasibo."

It was a simple thanks, but words seemed to mollify Galina. Slightly.

Galina turned back towards me, ignoring Rose completely as our words came fast. "Your time is running short, Dimitri, and I must say, what I see is not nearly impressive enough to make me consider keeping her. I've seen humans with more potential than she does. She can hardly stand without your support."

"I've overfed from her. I've been greedy. I promise you, she's strong. I've trained her myself. I've pushed her hard and I know what she can do."

"I think you've been undermining me to play house with that little pet of yours." She gestured to Rose, and Rose glanced between us, completely unaware of the conversation that passed in a language unknown to her. "You don't get to make a fool of me. Not in my home. Not in my business. I can't afford to show weakness, and if you are willing to show yours, you have no place here. Do you understand?"

"Spell it out for me." I knew I couldn't take her on physically. Besides her considerable strength that came from her age of awakening, she had always been sly with her fighting technique. She taught me most of her tricks, but I always felt like she held back a few for herself. Still, with my frustration rising, I was almost willing to give it a chance if she decided to speak in riddles.

"You have three days, Dimitri. I'm tired of waiting. And if you can't do it, feel free to leave her on your way out. She won't last long either way."

With that she turned, walking out of sight. I watched the place where she had disappeared until I heard her footsteps dissipate completely and felt Rose lean into me.

"Come on, we should get back." Rose didn't even question me, perhaps still spooked by our unexpected guest and trying to make sense of it.

After a few minutes of twists and turns, she finally spoke.

"What did she say?"

I continued to pull her along, debating how much I should tell her. "She doesn't like that you're still here. She wants me to awaken you or kill you."

"Oh. Um, what are you going to do?"

What _was_ I going to do? Part of me thought it would be good to force her now, but all of this effort would be for naught. It would make her bitter towards me, making difficult to control her. If I could avoid that by convincing her in the next day or two, it would save me considerable time later.

"I'll wait a little longer and then...I'll make the choice for you."

"How long?"

"Not long, Roza. You need to choose. And make the right choice."

"Which is?"

I threw my hands up. "All of this. A life together."

She followed me through the last corner of the maze. Perhaps if she were of a more aware mindset, I would be more concerned with her remembering paths in and out, but I doubted she would be able to remember that and this conversation; between the two, one was certainly more important than the other.

I slowed down slightly as she took a quick step or two to catch up to my longer strides. I couldn't let her tire too quickly.

"And what then? Then I work for Galina too?"

I let my tongue run along my teeth, tracing the line from one fang to the other as the tension built in my jaw. "For a while."

"How long is a while?" She questioned me, a spark of curiosity in her voice that hinted her understanding of my need for something more.

I paused and looked down at her, smiling with the realization that while I couldn't do it alone, with her...well, anything was possible.

"Until we kill her, Rose. Until we kill her and take all of this for ourselves."

Rose didn't question me further, and I was glad for it. I hadn't been able to even conceive of such a plan before, but now that I had, my mind was racing with the possibility. How, when, who to ally with and who to take out to secure my authority. Eventually, this would all need to be shared with Rose, but only when she had more understanding of the Estate itself and all of its workings. She would need to make alliances too, and figure out who would be beneficial to our cause and who was expendable.

All these thoughts of finally securing for myself all the power and control I had worked towards, that I deserved, had me hungry. Knowing Rose would be at my side through it all, fighting beside and for me was almost more than I could take. Neither of us would have to serve under the humiliation of another. We would rule, eternally and without question.

I moved us quickly through the house, opting for the elevator over the stairs since I knew she wouldn't make the four flights. Thankfully, we weren't stopped on our quest because the moment I had her alone in her room, I was on her.

I pulled her close, feeling her slip between the cover of my jacket while I rubbed the chill from her skin before I crushed my mouth to hers. She didn't resist me, automatically slipping her fingers through my hair and pulling me closer.

I let my hands brush past the fabric of her skirt until I found bare skin and relished in the smoothness as I picked her up, pushing her against the wall with my body until she was held in place so I could slip my fingers into the thin cloth covering that beautiful ass.

With a quick thrust, she cried out, feeling me hard against her waiting, wanting core. I smiled, kissing her neck, shoulders, and chest as she hastily undid the buttons of my shirt and pulled it away to run her hands over my body.

She was frantically trying to pull my shirt off completely, undoing the button on my pants while my fingers dug into her hip and my teeth grazed her bare shoulder when I came to my senses. I had almost lost myself. I had almost lost control.

I pushed away abruptly, letting her fall to the ground in a pile.

"No!" I growled. I turned away from her in anger, disgusted with how I let her seduce me. "Not yet. Not until you're awakened."

"Why?" I glanced at her as she questioned me, still on the floor, but looking at me with wide eyes, the strap of her dress falling low enough to expose one breast and her skirt twisted around her upper thighs. "Why does it matter? Is there...is there a reason we can't?"

I knelt next to her, brushing my hand up the side of her bare breast and down her arm until I found the thin strap of the dress and put it back in place, all the while delighting in the way her chest heaved towards me in response. "No, but it'll be so much better if you're awakened." I could already imagine her tight around my cock, pulsing as I made her come hard and feeling her shatter underneath me as I fucked her to my heart's delight. "Let me do it...let me do it, and then we can do anything we want..."

She was so close, at the tipping point. I could see it. Just another moment or two and she'd be there right with me.

"No," she whimpered. "I...I'm scared..."

I suddenly saw another face: that of a small boy sitting in an orange tent, trying to be brave as he trembled before me and the corpse of his father. Rose looked so similar, so small and terrified, I couldn't help but touch her cheek. She winced before letting my hand cup her face.

"Rose, do you think I'd do anything that would hurt you?"

"The bite...the turning would hurt..." she shook her head and tried to turn away but I held fast.

"I told you: it'll be just like what we've already done. You'll enjoy it. It won't hurt, I swear it."

She tucked her legs up under her chin and wrapped her arms around them, putting distance between us in the process. "I don't know."

I stood up, all sympathy gone with those three words. "Galina's patience is running out. So is mine."

"You said we still have time! I just need to think more..."

I narrowed my eyes, wondering if I should admit just how little time we had. Thinking better of it, I turned to walking away. "I have to go. I need to deal with some things."

"I'm sorry." It was a pathetic cry, but one that made me turn back to her.

Pulling her up slightly, I bit into her soft flesh of her neck and allowed myself another greedy pull of her blood, but stopped much quicker than I typically did. Galina needed to see she was strong and to do that, I needed to stop draining her energy and leaving her so weak.

She was still in a bit of a fog when I released her, though, deciding between leaving her where she lay or taking the time to make her more comfortable. I decided on the latter when she reached out to me once more, and I pulled her into my arms and placed her on the couch.

"I'll see you later," I promised, brushing her hair back before stepping away. I stopped at the keypad and turned back towards her. "Remember, I want you, and I never let anything bad happen to you. I'll protect you. But...I can't wait much longer."

Her eyes drifted close before the door did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Sorry about the missed week. I hope you all enjoyed yourselves while I was gone but I'm back to bring you another taste of Dark Dimitri Goodness. I feel like I'm really starting to get into the swing of him and his personality (whether that's a good thing or not) and I hope that it begins to show in him as a character. I'm really pleased that many of you are both enjoying Dimitri and beginning to hate him at the same time. That's exactly what I was hoping for.
> 
> This week's Question of the Week is: What fictional character would you like to live as for one day.
> 
> As much as I adore Rose and would love to live her life for a day or so (and no, not just to get a part of that Dimitri action) It might just get me killed. So, I think I would have to say, Lucy Hutton from the book "The Hating Game." If you haven't read it yet, it's a perfect blend of sassy, sexy, enemies to lovers fic. She's a smart, successful professional at a publishing company with a great family. Throw in Josh...and perfection.
> 
> Thank you again for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please remember to like, follow, and share if you enjoyed it, and comments are appreciated. I read every single one and I try to reply to as many as I am able to.


	15. Chapter 15

I made my way down toward the gym. Galina kept it for several reasons. Former guardians often found sort of peace in keeping up with routines they had during their former lives, which included intense exercise. It also provided a place to help some of the Strigoi who had never been taught to fight learn a few tricks to keep them alive longer. Galina wasn't one to waste her investments.

Recently, she had put me in charge of training. It was another task that initially I had resented, feeling it was beneath me, but I was quickly finding the perks of such a job. Besides keeping me out of guard duty, it also offered me a chance to get to know quite a few of the others in the Estate, as well as see them in action. I could see which former Moroi had any potential at all, even if it didn't manifest itself through fighting, and I was also able to watch which former dhampirs bothered to keep up their training.

These assets would prove very useful in the upcoming months. Once Roza was turned, I'd try to persuade Galina to keep her here with me, perhaps citing that our fighting style was similar and it would make training easier. It would allow us to better evaluate everyone. In all honestly, I'd want to keep her close regardless. Typically each person was allotted their own room, and Rose would probably be offered the same, but I didn't doubt that most of our off hours would be spent together, alone, and on any flat surface we could find. Horizontal was preferred, but not required.

Any of the Strigoi here would be faster than a Moroi, and all but the youngest Age of Awakening would be stronger than some dhampirs. Some, like Roza, would overpower anyone the moment she was turned, but others would need several weeks before they could be unleashed on their own without having a stake driven through them.

"You are lucky," I shouted, stopping several who were going through a basic routine, partnering with one another. "Nearly any injury, any nick, any fall, you will survive. It might be painful, especially if you are hit with a stake, but you will survive."

Quiet filled the room, with only the echo of someone hitting a heavy bag in the next room over.

"Most of you know that there are only four ways to die. The first we avoid on a daily basis."

"The sun," someone said from a few rows back.

I nodded my agreement while pacing back and forth like a caged tiger, waiting to feast later. "We're careful to time our operations, but if they have a chance to use it, a guardian will. It allows them to kill you without much danger to themselves. Second is by beheading. Another rare one because of the force it takes to sever the spine. If they can't take the entire head off, you won't die. Broken necks won't do it." I smiled and faced the group. "However, it is a quick way to get rid of _them_ if you can. You can snap their necks like twigs."

A few people laughed but stopped quickly when I continued.

"The third used to be fairly rare, but it is becoming more common and I would expect it to become even _more_ common in the coming years...fire. Fire users and guardians have shown the benefits of working together to distract and kill, and if you are unlucky to match against one such pair, well...I have yet to see one lose. Try to take out the Moroi first, then go after the guardian. Without that aid, they just become your typical threat.

"Finally, you have the charmed stake. This is what you will come up against most often and this is what we will primarily train for. Avoidance is key, but you only have to guard your heart most vitally. If you are scratched with the stake, it will hurt like hell, but you'll live. If you are pierced anywhere with the stake, you might be wounded for a minute or so, but you should be able to still fight. Even if they go for your heart, try to turn, even slightly, and they might miss. If they miss by even a millimeter, you'll go down, but you'll survive to fight another day."

"Guardian fight defensibly, so they won't seek you out. If you are in over your head, get out and they won't follow."

"What's the easiest way to kill them?"

The question came from somewhere in the crowd, but it was a valid one. Unfortunately, there wasn't a simple answer for it. What might be a weakness for one Guardian was a strength for another. Universally there was one truth. "You are faster and stronger than they are. Your hearing and sight are better. Use it. Surprise them, pin them, and don't hesitate. Go for the kill quickly and you'll live."

The group nodded, many with eager smiles on their faces, already rearing to go and taste the blood of their first heard earned kill.

"Okay, back to your drills! Go!"

It occurred to me later that guardians had another weakness: their charge. They were required to protect the Moroi they were promised to with their lives, even at the cost of their lives. That meant a Moroi could be more than a prize at the end of a battle, but a weapon too. I pondered the idea more as I continued with the days training, figuring it was something I could bring up in the next session.

The groups paired up again, going stronger and faster than before. Every once and a while I would jump in, adjusting form or making them pair against me to test their speed or strength. They were always found wanting, but it gave them a level to compare themselves against and a goal to reach for.

After an hour, I dismissed them. Many had other things to do, from their own watches to a feeding, and I was ready for my own training.

Samuel was entering just as the last person from my training session left. He watched them go then locked eyes with me for a moment.

"How are the newest batch?"

"Eh, they'll get there eventually. That or they'll be fodder. You know how it goes."

He scoffed but was smiling regardless. It was often the new Moroi-born who insisted on going out on an assignment who failed to come back. There were always a few who wanted to prove themselves, though, and if it made it easier for others to get in and out alive, it was a sacrifice worth making.

"Wanna take a go or two?" he asked.

Samuel was a few years older, at least by Age of Awakening standards. He'd been about my age when he was turned. Between the fact that we were about the same build and he was only about 3 inches shorter, he made a decent match in a fight. We had gotten the habit of practicing after my training sessions.

"Sure." I rolled my shoulders working the kinks out of his muscles and then pounced without warning.

Samuel wasn't fazed, though. He sidestepped me just before impact, allowing his elbow to strike my shoulder, close enough to my throat to knock my breath from me a bit.

I used that momentum, though, grabbing Samuel by the neck and pulling backward to knee him in the kidney. Neither of us held back or played by any sort of code of conduct. Since there was no real way to kill one another here, anything was fair game.

The fight continued for several minutes, only ending when I got a good choke hold from behind and was able to maneuver myself into position to snap Samuel's neck. It would put him out for a minute or two, and probably piss him off a tad with the pain that would linger for an hour or so later, but the victory wouldn't be questioned.

Sitting next to Samuel's prone body, I considered something I had been thinking about since leaving Rose's room. There weren't many people I trusted at the Estate – hell, I wasn't sure I trusted _anyone_ completely _–_ but if I had to say I trusted one person here, it was Samuel. Rose would be my obvious second in command when we overtook the Estate, but I wasn't stupid enough to think that we could operate everything on our own. With someone like Samuel, who had longevity here, I might be able to get a better foothold.

Samuel began to shift a few moments later and shoved me as soon as he had control over his arms. "Damn you. I would have been happy to concede. Did you have to be a pain in my neck?"

I tried not to roll my eyes but pressed on. "I wanted to talk to you, and I figured this was the easiest way to keep you still for a few moments. I'm starting to get tired of the way Galina pushes us around without putting in the work herself. She runs the place like a queen on her throne, making us her servants-"

"Or off with our heads" Samuel finished.

"Precisely. I guess I'm wondering if I'm the only one fed up, or if you are too. And if you are, are there others?"

I was quiet as Samuel thought for a moment. I knew that if Samuel wanted to, he had all the info he needed to rat me out to Galina then and there and make sure that me and Rose both paid the price. Nathan would leap at an opportunity like this, but Samuel wasn't Nathan.

"Well, I can say that very few are thrilled with the idea that we stick our necks out while she reaps the rewards. Now, I can see that she provides the Estate, the jobs, and so on, but she does take the lion's share. And she's certainly not afraid to make it known who runs the show."

I gave a humorless laugh. Galina's form of force was less of an iron fist than pure humiliation. She didn't need to expend her energy to make you pay. She didn't need to destroy her investment. She would simply make you look weak in front of the entire Estate and kill your pride in the process. You might be shunned, demoted, ridiculed, or any matter of punishments. None of them would physically harm you, but they would all make you bow down to her in one way or another. She would reinforce her control over you and the others. Some, like Nathan, would do damn near anything to stay in her good graces to prevent such disgrace.

"And what are your thoughts about taking her down a notch or two?"

Samuel eyed me suspiciously, to the point where I began to question my decision to share any portion of my plan. When he finally spoke, those fears were relieved. "You better leave her where she is, or be prepared to dethrone her completely. There's nothing in between, you understand?"

"I understand completely." I grinned, and his smirk mirrored mine. "I can't do it alone, though. For a total coup, I'll need generals, armies, people who are willing to fight and pick up after the war is over."

"And you'll be the new King, I assume?"

"Naturally, though perhaps Czar is better." I shrugged knowing that I couldn't lie about this and get him on board, "That doesn't mean there isn't room for a Grand Prince and Personal Adviser."

He laughed. "Just remember, Dimitri, the last Czar fell."

"And that's why I need you."

"What do you need me to do?"

"Feel out who might be willing to join our cause. I'm already doing the same. However, you have better ties to most of the people here. I'm also looking for people in these trainings who have potential. I also have a strong connection with Galina and through her trust, I can look for her weakness so we can find the right time to strike."

"You've really thought about this, haven't you?"

I shrugged again, standing up and offering him a hand. I didn't dare tell him how new the idea was.

"I should let you know, I overheard Nathan mentioning something to Galina this morning. He mentioned something about your girl and a bond."

I halted, full stop, in my step. I could feel my stomach drop as well.

"I don't know exactly what he was talking about, and I couldn't stick around to listen, but both he and Galina sounded excited about it. I thought you should know."

I tried to calm my breathing, not letting my anger and concern show. "Thanks. I'll take care of it."

He nodded before getting into a fighting stance. "One more round?"

"No. I got something to take care of. Tomorrow, though." I was already making my way to the door when I turned back towards him. "Good to have you on my side, Samuel."

* * *

I went to Galina immediately, needing to see what damage control I could manage. She was meeting with another person, and while I had quite a bit of authority around her, it didn't extend to breaking down her door at my own whim.

My patience was wearing thin, however. After ten minutes, tapping my heel against the marble floor the entire time, I was about to check on Rose. That was the moment the door opened. A young Moroi girl escorted by one of Galina's personal men was leaving the room, her face dazed and paler than normal with just a hint of red against the collar of her shirt. Galina never needed to go to the Feed Lot to get her fill. She had her choice of the youngest, freshest Moroi brought directly to her. If they were lucky, they came out only to share their blood a day or so later. If they weren't...well, let's say more were unlucky than lucky when it came to Galina.

I slipped in the moment the doorway was clear of her meal. "Galina."

"Good Lord," she muttered in frustration, wiping her mouth with a white monogrammed cloth. "I can't even enjoy a meal without someone pestering me. At least it's you and not Nathan this time, though. He's been here three times today."

"It's Nathan I'm here about, actually."

She rolled her eyes.

"I hear he's given you some information about Rose?"

"Yes, information that _you_ should have given me, to be honest. You must have recognized that she was bonded to someone, and it wouldn't take much to guess whom. Why would you withhold that information?"

"I assumed it wouldn't be of use until Princess Vasilisa was out of St. Vladimir's Academy anyway. Rose can only see what is happening in the moment, and even then it isn't always reliable. She has often had difficulty with the bond."

"You shouldn't assume anything when it comes to my business dealings. I should have been notified immediately." Her frustration was steadily rising and diffusing it was essential.

"I apologize. With the initial order to kill her, I didn't take account of her bond. We have no idea how an awakening will affect it. We could use it now, but only if she is willing and able in her current state."

"Oh, she's able." He pointed at me accusingly with one of her long manicured nails. "Apparently that girl watching her, Inga or whatever, has seen her gazing off quite a few times. Apparently, nothing can break her stare when it's happening. She even tried shaking her the first time thinking she was ill and Rose still didn't acknowledge her."

I took a deep breath, calming my frustration at why I wasn't notified that anyone thought she was ill. I would also have to have a firm discussion about Rose using her bond.

"The only reason I even learned about it was because she went to Nathan and he realized what was happening. Thankfully, _he_ knows how things around here work and told me immediately."

My head dropped in mock shame but actually hiding the firm line of my lips and I contemplated Nathan's slow and painful death.

"We could use her and this bond, but unfortunately, you're right. I doubt she would be able to provide any more useful information than you could about the Dragomir girl at this point. You don't know where she will be after she leaves St. Vladimir, and according to you, neither does Rose. I'll question her myself after her awakening and make her prove her loyalty, but I swear, if you keep one more thing like this from me, there will be extreme consequences."

I had been sure to lie about Lissa's plans after graduation, knowing that Rose would be by her side. Of course, I hadn't expected that stupid girl to recklessly come after me. And there was always the possibility that plans could have changed from what I had heard last, so it wasn't so much of a stretch to play ignorant on the matter.

"Now leave, and remember, you walk a fine line. I've made allowances for you because you are talented, but if you abuse them, I can take everything away."

Walking out the door and heading towards Rose's room, all I could was look forward to the day that I took everything away from her.

* * *

There was a crash and a cry from Rose's room. I ran the moment I heard it. Rose was far beyond trying to escape so I knew with a certainty that it was something else much more worrisome. Whoever was supposed to be standing guard over the hallway was also mysteriously missing, confirming my fears that something sinister was happening behind those closed doors.

Frantically punching the first code, I impatiently waited for the green approval light and lock's click to disengage. Another bang sounded before I made it to the second door. This door unlocked just as quickly (though not quickly enough for my taste), but didn't open as easily. Something blocked it, crying out as my push smashed it against the wall.

With Nathan and Inna in view, and a whimper coming from beside me, I barely needed a glance to see Rose. However, a better look at her condition left me raging.

Her hands were clutched over her stomach, her face red and already bruising from at least one hit. There were no fresh bite marks, but something else told me that Nathan had tried to make a false claim on her. One of the straps of her dress was broken, and the skirt had been torn all the way to the waist. That combined with Nathan's unbuttoned, unzipped pants was all I needed to kill him.

I took one step before he grinned, warning me with a single word. "Don't."

His little toy idiotically stood in front of him like a paper shield. I didn't have any qualms about killing her either, especially after she let slip the information about the bond.

"You know what Galina said," he tutted smugly, placing his hand on Inna's shoulder. "Touch me and you're out of here."

Galina had warned us both about fighting after we had come to blows in the hallway. Apparently, my superior skill and short temper, combined with Nathan's inability to keep his mouth shut, had people talking. Discontent makes her look weak and, of course, weakness can't be tolerated.

I didn't have to think twice, though. I continued walking toward him, smacking the girl aside until I heard her body hit the wall and the crash of a chair falling over with it. "It'll be worth facing her wrath, especially after I tell her you attacked first. Rose certainly bears the marks of it." Even though I had knocked Inna down, I had been sure not to leave a physical mark on her face. The worst she could claim was pain from hitting the wall.

"You wouldn't." He had the good sense to be scared. Pointing frantically to his little minion, he said, "She'll tell the truth."

"You really think Galina will believe a human? No. When I tell her how you attacked me and Rose out of jealousy, she'll let me off. The fact that you'll be so easily defeated will be proof of your weakness." I was done playing, though. I wasn't going to let him rule my life or take advantage of Rose again. "I'll slice your head off and get Rose's stake from the vault. With your last breath, you can watch her drive it through your heart."

I knew I couldn't start the war, though, not yet. I still had to bide my time. "Twice," I said in warning, "Twice I've let you go. Next time . . . next time, you're gone."

He looked over, to where both Rose and Inna were now laying. Rose had apparently tried to check on the girl, but her sympathy was nothing but a flaw that anyone, including that little human, could take advantage of.

"No," he said, retreating towards the door. "Twice I've let her live. Next time she's gone. I'm the one in control here, not you." The girl stumbled after him like a wounded puppy.

I glared at the plate of heavy steel until both locks fell into place. The echoes of those clicks were followed immediately with sobs, and I turned my ire at the crying, despicable, weak, stubborn, good for nothing child in front of me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for missing last week. Several of you wrote to check in on me and I want to let you all know that a) I'm fine b) I'm still writing c) thank you all for all your love.
> 
> We are really starting to see despicable Dimitri here. Next week will be the big argument that I know that many are looking forward too. Then there are a few more exciting chapters until the end! My hope is to have this wrapped up around the end of May so I can start the next book ASAP. I'd like to finish the series before it has a 15th anniversary, you know?
> 
> This week's Question of the Week is: What is the one food you can never bring yourself to eat? I've personally eaten lots of crazy things (snails, octopus, and even horse meat which is a specialty in Japan - please don't hurt me on that last one) but the one thing I don't think I could ever bring myself to eat is an insect with legs. If it's alive...that's a double nope. I hate insects in general but I prefer them under my foot than in my mouth.
> 
> I've personally eaten lots of crazy things (snails, raw octopus, and even horse meat which is a specialty in Japan - please don't hurt me on that last one) but the one thing I don't think I could ever bring myself to eat is an insect with legs. If it's alive...that's a double nope. I hate insects in general but I prefer them under my foot than in my mouth. *shivers*
> 
> Thanks again for reading. I really do appreciate all the support and love from you guys. Please review on chapters you enjoy, follow and favorite the story for updates, and share if you think it's worth sharing.


	16. Chapter 16

"This is your fault!" I yelled, fists clenched at my sides to keep me from adding my own marks to her face. If I hit her once, I wasn't sure I would stop.

She cringed, pushing her back against the wall. "But he . . . he attacked me . . ."

"Yes. And Inna. A human! You let a human attack you." I couldn't believe she would allow herself to be reduced to the point where a lowly human could overpower her. "You are weak. You are incapable of defending yourself—all because you refuse to be awakened!" I jerked her up to her feet, ignoring pop from her arm and resulting whine as I did so. "If you had just been killed, it would have been your own fault". She had to see what was at risk and perhaps shaking in to that empty head of hers would be the only way to get that point across. "You have the chance for immortality, for incredible strength! And you're too blind and stubborn to see it."

She wiped her tears, avoiding my eyes and sniffing to keep more from falling. Her attempts to be strong now were wasted. I already knew how completely incapable she was. Was she even worth awakening anymore? Perhaps I could get a good fuck or two out of her and just be done with it.

"I don't think I'd be stronger than Nathan, even if I was tur- awakened." Her head dipped, unable to look at me. It didn't seem like it was fear prompting it, but shame and perhaps genuine worry.

I ran my hand over her hair, smoothing some of the damage that both Nathan and I had caused. With an impatient sigh, I tried to reassure her. "Perhaps not initially, but your strength of body and will carries over with the change. He's not that much older than either of us—not enough to make a noticeable difference, which is why he keeps backing down when we fight."

"Why do you keep backing down?"

I tried to forgive the slight, but the fact that she could even question my abilities made me want to prove to her just how much of a man I really was. I could please her or beat her, and she was powerless to stop it, no matter how much she begged. Instead, I answered her as steady as I could.

"Because he's right about one thing. Killing him would bring Galina's wrath down on us. And that's not something I can afford. Yet."

"You said before that you . . . that we . . . had to kill her."

"Yes, and once we do, it'll be easy to seize control of her assets and organization."

"What is her organization exactly?" She had asked before and I didn't doubt she would ask again. I tossed around the idea of explaining it all to her, but I was still frustrated.

"All sorts of things. This wealth isn't bought without effort."

"Effort that's illegal and hurts humans?"

"Does it matter?" My words were harsh and made her pull back again, but I was getting tired of this protection mentality. Our loyalties would only to be one another, and we couldn't bother worrying about hurting others who get in our way. Especially food.

"But Galina used to be your teacher. Can you really kill her? And I don't mean physically . . . I mean, doesn't it bother you?"

I almost laughed at the ridiculousness of her words. She had been hunting me down just a short while ago with the intent to kill me and now she was questioning whether I could kill my mentor? "I told you before. It's all about strength and weakness. Prey and predator. If we can bring her down—and I have no doubts we can—then she's prey. End of story."

I let her go and she stumbled towards the couch, falling ungracefully onto it in a heap. I sat beside her, keeping a bit of distance while I attempted to cool down.

"Why did Inna attack me? Why did she defend Nathan?"

"Because she loves him." I nearly rolled my eyes at the sentimentality of the little human and her dreams of some fairy tale with Nathan. He was using her and everyone but her could see it.

"But how . . . ?" Her eyes widened, mimicking my thoughts. How could anyone actually like such a brute?

"Who knows? Part of it is that he's promised to awaken her once she's put in time here. That's what most of the human servants are told."

"Told?"

"Most are unworthy." I laughed, "Or, more often than not, someone gets hungry and finishes the human off."

Her head rested on her knee which was pulled up tight towards her body, ripped skirt barely hiding her modesty. "This is all a mess."

"It doesn't have to be." I couldn't fathom her hesitance. She was the only one standing in her way and it was making life hard for everyone. "Time's running out. I've been lenient, Roza. Far more lenient than I would be with anyone else."

"Why? Why have you done it?" I could see her digging for something, but there wasn't anything deep to find. It was clear as day to me.

"Because I know how you think. And I know awakening you of your own free will would make you a more important ally. You're independent and strong-minded—that's what makes you valuable." I needed her to be willing, not resentful. Seeing her stubbornness over the past couple of days had already caused a huge mess and if she were awakened against her will, it would only get worse.

"An ally, huh?" She almost seemed disappointed. She had always been my ally, though, why should it be any different now?

I tried to appease her with a bit of the physical emotion she always craved from me, sliding my hand up her exposed leg. "Didn't I tell you once I'd always be there for you? I'm here. I'll protect you. We're going to be together. We're meant to be together. You know this."

I kissed her, pressing her back against the couch and letting my tongue slide between her lips with ease until she opened willingly. She reacted quickly, urgently coming back into my arms and pulling at my body to keep me close. It was always fun to tease her a little, to see how far I could push her, but she had become more and more pliable in her need that I could almost control her with any little touch. I knew that if I slipped my hand under her dress and barely touched her stomach, she would scramble to remove it as quickly as possible.

That's why it surprised me when she pulled away.

I stared at her in confusion, seeing her lust still evident in her eyes. Perhaps she was trying to play a game, so I made a move to win. I grasped her hips, heaving her against the fly of my pants with a growl and letting her feel just how riled up I was. Usually it was enough to make her eyes roll back in ecstasy, so when her head fell with a mewl, I smiled.

I moved my way down her face, kissing her forehead, eyes, cheek, her nose, lips, chin, and finally her neck. I let my tongue wet the scarred patch of skin that marked her as mine before letting my fangs press into her once more...

"No."

I froze for a moment.

"What did you say?" It came out as a hiss.

I could hear her heart pick up. At least she had the presence of mind to fear pissing me off. "Um . . . no. Not this time."

I pulled away, waiting for some excuse as to why she felt she could tell me no. She better have a damn good reason or she wouldn't like the outcome.

Her words stuttered a bit. "I don't feel good. . . . I'm hurt. I'm afraid to lose the blood, even though I want . . ." She initially looked insincere, but after she took breath I realized it was probably fear making her frantic. She tried again with much more success. "I want it . . . I want to feel the bite . . . but I want to rest first, get stronger . . ."

"Let me awaken you, and you'll be strong again." I touched her neck, wanting it as much as she should.

"I know," she looked away, confused. "And I'm starting to think . . ."

I paused in my ministrations. "Starting to think what?" This was the first time she had ever shown even a hint of desire towards it. She had asked questions, expressed fear, but an admission of wanting to turn? Never. The tides were finally turning and I needed to keep it flowing.

"I'm starting to think that I don't ever want to be weak again." She looked at me in all seriousness and I couldn't help but smile. "Please . . . I just want to rest. I need to think about it a little more."

If she was willing to forgo the endorphins of a bite, the release it would provide her, then I didn't doubt that she was truly considering things. She wanted a clearer mind. She wanted to rest and regain some of strength. Neither were inconceivable things to ask for, but they would have been hard to ask considering how addicted she already was to my bite. I tried to figure out if there was anything else she could be hiding from me, but I came up empty. She had no reason to lie at this point. She knew what was inevitable at this point, all she needed to do was make the choice on her own terms.

"Rest, then," I assured her "And we'll talk later. But, Rose . . . we only have two days."

"Two days?"

"Until Galina's deadline. That's how long she gave us. Then I make the decision for you."

"You'll awaken me?" She sounded worried as if I would consider anything else. She was too important to my plans to give up, though. I could give her up, but it would be a hell of a whole lot more difficult without her.

"Yes. It'll be better for all of us if we don't reach that point." I stood up, straitening my shirt. I suddenly remembered that I had something else for her. "Oh. I brought you this."

I dangled a bracelet with alternating diamonds and opals in front of her. Even in the relative darkness of the room, it seemed to catch every bit of the lamplight and reflect it back in a rainbow burst.

"Wow. It's . . . it's gorgeous." She slipped it onto her wrist, holding it out to me to finish the clasp.

As she admired it, I didn't have the heart to tell her that it had come from a new bride who had made a wrong turn down an abandoned road with her groom on the way towards their honeymoon. They weren't intended targets, but they got too close to the Estate and more importantly, they got in the way while we were heading out on a contract. The bride's white dress had been drenched in the blood of her and her husband by the time we were done with them, but hey, at least they had died together. What else could the happy couple ask for?

I was holding on to the diamond wedding ring for when Rose finally wised up and let me awaken her. It may not be a marriage, but it was a partnership. She deserved a little prize for her obedience.

With satisfaction, I leant down and kissed her once more on the forehead. I could hear her sigh, and when I looked back, she was already scratching at her neck in want. I smirked, knowing that little hunger would drive her just that much more towards her decision.

* * *

Galina called me into her office a short while after I had left, which I didn't nearly mind as much since I was trying desperately to not focus on my issues with Rose and the short timeline before her Awakening. I knew many in the Estate were already somewhat bitter about the fact that I had been offered this special treatment – no matter how quiet we had tried to keep it initially – and that fact could come back to bite me in the ass later. Between them and Nathan, some were doing all they could to slander my name despite no record of misdoings. Most saw through the flimsy facade, but a few were weak enough to follow the lead of the hopeless men on the mountain shouting to the wind.

But the winds were changing, especially when Galina offered me the perfect opportunity.

"There is someone causing dissent among the ranks." She looked as if she were about to lash out at any moment. The tension in every single muscle of hers was felt even in my own body.

Or perhaps it was because I was worried that she had caught me in my plan and was two moments from killing me right where I stood. I hadn't seen Rose in several hours, and for all I knew she was already dead.

"I need you to figure out who it is, Dimitri."

I thanked the Gods above for every moment my father unknowing trained me into learning a passive face to keep away his anger, because that moment was the biggest test. If I had shown a hint of relief I felt, she would have picked up on it immediately.

"The fact that anyone would dare go against you is a sign of their stupidity. Perhaps their foolishness and the punishment of such should be a sign to the rest of the Estate. If we can put this matter before it gets out of hand, then you won't need to worry about it anymore, and no one will think to challenge you and your authority again."

Her fingers steepled as she gazed at me over them, smiling sinisterly over them. "My thoughts exactly. However, I can't exactly go and question people myself. I know that you have enough connections through the Estate, quiet as they are, to be able to hear things that I may not." I was already starting to smirk as I anticipated her command. "I want you to find the offender and bring them to me."

I bowed my head, showing her the respect I knew she felt she deserved. "Of course. As always, you know you can count on me."

"I know I can. You wouldn't do anything to put your girl in danger."

Ahh, so she was still planning to use Rose against me. I had a feeling that she would continue to do so long after Rose was awakened, too. As Samuel said before: once she found your weak spot, she would exploit it time and time again.

"Naturally."

Pleased with my answer, she moved to dismiss me with the flick of her wrist. "Oh, and Dimitri? Forty hours."

"You want the name in forty hours?"

"No, I want the name _before_ forty. You have forty hours until that girl in there becomes my next meal. So don't let me down on either count."

No nod and no reply; I couldn't manage either at this point. It was a sign of disrespect, surely, but I had nothing left to give her at this point.

BREAK

Someone had to take the fall. Nathan was too obvious. Galina would see through the trick easily, no matter how hard I wanted to take him down. Even if I could prove it somehow, I doubt she would so easily believe that her biggest boot licker would so easily turn on her. Perhaps that's one of the reasons why she felt that I was above suspicion as well: I didn't suck up to her, but I certainly followed every command she gave me without question. Her trust gave me more power, and power wasn't to be wasted.

Of course, she also didn't have anything to use against Nathan currently, except his position being usurped by the one he sired, so forcing me to do her bidding (even and especially _if_ it was unpleasant) was easy at the moment.

That still left the question of whom. There were many possibilities. I walked the halls and rooms, watching each person carefully. It was true that I had connections to almost every aspect of the Estate by now. I had taken over most of the trainings, assisted with revamping security, and more. While I didn't work with the finances (that was still Nathan's primary responsibility) I did tend to reach far and wide. Many looked at me with respect as I walked past them, but there were a few that followed me with a sneer. One or two of the older members, for sure, who were upset with how quickly I had risen while they had done little more than served as soldiers and lackeys. Their spitefulness didn't faze me, though. They had about as much as ambition as a potted plant: growing slowly, contained, and only at the will of the one watering it. The moment their source of life and luxury was cut off, they would die. They were at Galina's mercy. Soon they would be at mine.

Finally, the perfect scapegoat fell at my feet. She was someone a few years older than Nathan as far as Age of Awakening was concerned, but she had been Rose's age when she was turned. For that reason alone, Martyna was fairly popular with many of the others around here. Word was that while she had her own quarters here, she hadn't seen them in years. She was fairly familiar with everyone else's, though.

The fact that she had never seen the inside of mine was something that made her hate me early on. I turned her down the first week here and she hadn't let the snub go since. She was pretty enough, certainly, but I had no desire to enjoy anyone's leftovers. Especially when every single person has taken a lick.

And word was she also had spoken out against Galina more than once over the years when she felt she had the short end of the stick. Nobody felt like she would actually do anything about it, but that was enough to start a seed of doubt in the current instability of Galina's mind. She was also fairly smart, even if she didn't act like it. She had weaseled her way into many things with her wit and persuasive speech, and when that failed she had used her _charms_. It wasn't too far to fathom that she could use those things to enlist a few people to help her rise high enough to take on Galina herself.

The moment she saw me, she eyed me suspiciously before whispering to another person next to her. The newly awakened recruit, Erich, was listening raptly, nodding the entire time. I continued walking, watching them from the corner of my eye before she pointed a finger at him firmly and took off in one direction, and he looked around somewhat worriedly before taking off in the other.

I didn't doubt that she would soon be initiating him to her special brand of welcoming. However, the interaction could easily look like something more nefarious if the words went unheard and the right thoughts were put in the watcher's mind.

With my plan now set firmly in my project, I made my way to the security room. I needed more footage of Martyna "plotting" and I was positive I could find her speaking with quite a few people in hushed tones in public places or meeting with them in private. Yes, her reputation was well known here, even to Galina, but with one or two testimonies against her, I was certain I could change her erotic affairs into a rumored revolution.

The recent security tapes were a gold mine of potential evidence. Besides the scene I had just seen, I was able to capture several others that looked much more serious than playful. A passing glance that became a no-nonsense nod into a stairwell or private room. Bitter looks and whispered words while Galina showed herself among her following. And, perhaps luckiest of all, a meeting with Nathan that happened shortly after we both met with Galina earlier this week.

Nathan was a frequent flier with Martyna, but the fact that he went straight to her to lick his wounds after being torn down by us both would make him look horrible when Martyna was shown to be the dissenter. I knew that she would have built him up by discrediting Galina and whoever she trusted, probably telling him that he deserved more out of his life and position here, and perhaps making promises. If I could twist it so those promises sounded like a bitter plan to overthrow the status quo, then perhaps I could take them both down.

Now all I needed was my key witnesses. I spoke to Samuel who was willing to take one for the team if it meant providing a testimony that Martyna propositioned him. Whether he wanted to get laid in the process was up to him.

Poor Erich, though, well he didn't know what hit him. All he was looking for was a little fun and when he was met with me, his plans went all to shit. I caught him as he left the Feed Lot, grabbing him by the shirt and pushing him against the wall.

He had been human before his transformation, and between that and his young age, he was weak in strength and will. He was smart enough to know who I was though. His eyes widened and he stumbled over his words before I beat him to it.

"I know you are consorting with Martyna."

"Consorting?"

"Yes. I've seen you with her."

"I have. We've been together a few times. She said it was okay." He looked terrified, though, and I was pretty sure I could have scared him into an eternity of celibacy at that moment.

"She's planning to overthrow Galina. I know you are part of the plot."

"No!" If he was terrified before, he was completely panic stricken now. "No. I'm not. We never...I don't know of any plot."

"I don't believe you."

I could see another person getting closer, entering the Feed Lot, but with a quick look, they pretended like there was nothing to see and quickly shut the door behind them. She knew better than to question me, especially if I were conducting business.

"I swear! I swear!"

"Are you willing to swear against her? To save yourself?"

He looked confused for a moment, until I knocked him back against the wall, letting his head hit hard. After a quick flare of anger from him, manifesting in teeth bared and a pathetic little growl, I silenced him with a simple question. "You really think you can go against me?"

"She's right you know? You are a bastard."

"I am. And I'm the bastard who can make sure you either continue to live here in an eternity of ease or make a hot exit into the burning light of day. And that's if I'm feeling merciful."

He should have received worse for his disrespecting me. I'd probably kill him either way once I took over, but for now, it was all about who was useful. He was useful and that made him a necessity...even if just for a moment.

"Fine. What do you want?"

There it was. I grinned, letting him down from the wall and loosing my grip on his shirt. "I want you to speak out against her. Give testimony about her plans."

"I told you. I don't know anything. If she has any plans, she hasn't told me about them."

"It isn't about _if_ , understand? She is planning to take Galina on, and if you value your life you will speak out against her. At the moment I have video evidence of her speaking to you, and it certainly looks like she is plotting with you, as well as several others over the weeks. Even if you insist to me that it was just for sex, do you really want to chance that with the one who will eventually make the final call? I can promise you that anyone found guilty of consorting with her on those plans will be dealt with just as harshly as Martyna."

"And if I admit a plot?"

"I can persuade immunity for you. You are new, and she contacted you fairly recently. It would be easy to say that she exchanged a few favors for your support." I raised my brow, letting him catch on.

The moment he did, he only took a moment before challenging me. "And you are certain that you can grant me immunity with her?"

"You know who I am. You know my position here. If I tell her that you should be spared, I doubt she'll question my judgment." He looked relieved, but I didn't want him to relax too much. "That being said, if you betray me, if you let Martyna know anything before she's brought to judgment, then I can also suggest that you are too dangerous to stay."

He looked livid at my ultimatum but knew that he was unable to move against me. "Fine."

"I'll let you know when I need you. Until then, you act like nothings different.

* * *

I let the matter sit a little while longer. I didn't want to seem too quick to find my conclusion. Yes, I was good at what I did, but even I didn't have things like this just fall into my lap. Not unless I made them do so myself, of course. However, Galina needed to believe that I had investigated thoroughly and found the guilty culprit.

Ten hours seemed like more than enough.

I gave my evidence to Galina, and that paired with my suggestions, Galina's paranoia, and my history of never two-timing her to date (well, that she knew of) was more than enough to bring her and my two suggested witnesses in.

Martyna berated us both from the moment she was dragged in by some of Galina's personal guards. It was obvious that she had hastily dressed herself, and the thought that she had been caught in a compromising position made me smirk. I could possibly use that in my prosecution of her plan to dethrone the reigning queen.

Samuel and Erich followed soon after, one much more sheepish than the other.

Between the videos, the testimonies of not one but two witnesses to Martyna's apparent plotting, and the venom that Martyna was spewing herself, it wasn't hard for Galina to convict her.

Samuel was granted immunity quickly, stating that he was approached by Martyna about her apparent plot and had brought it to my attention. I confirmed his testimony. I suggested Erich's immunity as well and while Galina was reluctant because he hadn't acted so quickly in the interest of the Estate, I was able to convince her that his ignorance and Martyna's methods of persuasion might have proved too enticing to him. It took a moment, but I did manage to remind her that he had also admitted everything the moment I questioned him.

The crowning moment of them all was watching as Nathan's eyes nearly fell from his face when I presented the video of him running straight into Martyna's arms after he lost to Galina and me. It wasn't enough to doom him to the same fate as Martyna, since he was able to somehow talk himself out of it, but it certainly lowered his status in the eyes of our leader.

It was probably best for him that Martyna wouldn't survive this. She instantly looked more eager to kill Nathan after he denounced her as nothing but a petty whore; even more so than her desire to seek revenge on me. I guess it would sting much more to trust someone who you thought you had some sort of mutual agreement with and they suddenly threw you to the wolves. At least she knew that I had detested her from the beginning.

Despite all of her denials, all of her bitterness towards me, I did have to give Martyna some respect. She never lowered herself to begging for her life. Not even when Galina sliced that pretty little head from her body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. I know it's another dark one, but such is the book. Next chapter will include the ring! I know many of you have been waiting for it!   
> This week's Question of the Week is: What's your favorite ice cream flavor? The more chocolate, the better in my book. I literally have something called Maximum Extreme Fudge Moose Tracks. 
> 
> How have you enjoyed the little extras added to the stories? Are you liking the backstory of Dimitri's time as Strigoi? Does it seem to align with canon to you? Is there something you would change? Let me know with a comment!
> 
> Thank you again for all your support. Please remember to like, comment, share, and favorite!


	17. Chapter 17

I slid next to Rose on the bed, already stripped off my shirt and shoes. I was surprised to find her fully clothed this time, but perhaps she had been more tired than I had thought after last night. She must have been feeling pretty sore after all that had happened.

The moment I let my hand slide up her shirt and roam the expanse of her back, her eyes popped open in shock. She pulled away, focusing on me quickly. A smile soon followed. "You're back. I missed you."

"I had things to do." I still felt awash in the pride of evading Galina's paranoia and fury, and I had feasted greedily at the Feed Lot. I had taken one girl quickly, draining within minutes before finishing on another. She would be unconscious a day or so, but she would live. Probably.

I immediately found Rose afterward, hoping that my lucky streak would continue.

Instead, her nose scrunched slightly and her hand brushed my lip. "So I see."

"It's the natural order, Rose. How are you feeling?"

"Better. Except . . ."

"What?" I couldn't imagine what could have changed between last night and now. I should have pushed harder at the first sign of her curiosity; when it looked like acceptance might have been just around the corner.

"I was in Lissa's head, and . . . I got pushed out."

I felt a bit of relief but asked her a bit more about the sensation. "Pushed out?"

"Yeah . . . I was seeing through her eyes like I usually do, and then some force . . . I don't know, an invisible hand shoved me out. I've never felt anything like it."

"Maybe it's a new Spirit ability." I shrugged, losing interest.

"Maybe. Except, I've been watching her regularly, and I've never seen her practice or even consider anything like that."

Yeah, I knew she'd been watching Lissa. It almost caused me a bit of trouble. I'd have thought she might have been smarter than to try that here, especially since she must have known she had no chance of ever getting back to her little friend. I put my arm around her anyways. "Being awakened gives you better senses and accessibility to the world. But it doesn't make you omniscient. I don't know why that happened to you."

"Clearly not omniscient, or else Nathan wouldn't want information about her so badly," she huffed. "Why is that? Why are the Strigoi fixated on killing the royal lines? We know they've—you've—been doing it, but why? What does it matter? Isn't a victim a victim—especially when plenty of Strigoi used to be royal Moroi?"

"That requires a complicated answer. A large part of hunting Moroi royalty is fear. In your old world, royalty are held above all others. They get the best guardians, the best protection." Not that any of them respected that privilege. "If we can still get to them through that, then what does it say? It means no one is safe. It creates fear, and fear makes people do foolish things. It makes them easier prey."

"That's horrible."

"Prey or—"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Prey or predator."

Damn her insolence and flippancy. It was annoying as hell and wearing thin. I couldn't start yelling at her again, though, not when I was so close to awakening her. "There's also a benefit to unraveling Moroi leadership. That creates instability, too."

"Or maybe they'd be better off with a change of leadership," she said, looking out the window towards something beyond the trees. I could see some birds flying, but there was no way she could.

I gave her an odd look when she returned her eyes to me. Her words, her actions, seemed a bit unlike her. Granted, she probably had a clearer mind after a day or so of no extra endorphins coursing through her, but not so much that she would be saying things that even the _old_ Rose from the Academy wouldn't have voiced. She had never liked how things were run and was a bit of a rebel herself, but she didn't take much interest in governmental situations. I doubted she was even aware of such matters. Her world was fairly narrow.

She broke me from my mental inquiry. "What's the rest?"

"The rest . . ." I smiled, thinking of my first Royal kill, "the rest is prestige. We do it for the glory of it. For the reputation it gives us and the satisfaction of knowing we're responsible for destroying that which others haven't been able to destroy for centuries."

I looked over her toward the bedside table where the various necklaces and more lay that I had showered her with over the past little while. Most of them sparkled brightly, but two stood out glaringly for being dull and dim. I picked up a little blue pendant with a white circle in the middle, her Nazar, and fiddled with it.

"You still have this."

"Yup. Not as pretty as your stuff, though." She looked at it fondly for a moment, before her face grew a bit softer. I didn't doubt that there was some memories associated with the little token, but those emotions that held her back would eventually fade. I handed it to her and watched her thread her fingers through the silver tone chain.

"This I haven't seen before." There was a small, plain ring sitting almost hidden among all the things that I had given her. If I didn't know better, I would have thought it was a wedding ring, but it seemed too cheap for that. I couldn't imagine who would have given such a thing to her.

"I got it while I was—" she stopped suddenly, glancing at me quickly before looking away. She was obviously hiding something.

"While you were what?" Perhaps I had been too quick to brush off the ring as a worthless trinket. A boyfriend, perhaps? Certainly not Adrian. He would have showered her in jewels that would have rivaled mine (falling short, of course), but maybe some poor guardian or novice. I almost pitied him. He probably missed her and thought she was dead. They all probably thought she was dead by now.

"While I was in your hometown. In Baia."

I had been flipping the ring between my fingers, watching it move from my thumb to my index finger, but I stopped when I heard my hometown. I had never spoken too much about where I had grown up, mostly talking about my family more than anything else. I couldn't even remember if I had mentioned the name of where I had lived. If I had, I was surprised she remembered it.

"You were there?"

"I thought that's where you'd be," she explained, "I didn't know that Strigoi did their hunting in cities here. I stayed with your family."

We hadn't spoken much about her hunt for me, only that she had done so. I had called her foolish for it, but the fact that she had thought so much about where to look for me, thinking about where I might have been… well, it felt surprisingly nice. I started to thumb the ring, working the smooth metal between my fingers.

"And?"

She smiled a big smile that made her eyes crinkle. "And . . . they were nice. I liked them. I hung out with Viktoria a lot."

"Why wasn't she at school?" It was strange that she was home and I hoped she hadn't gotten in trouble. I bet she and Rose had gotten along well, though. I had always thought they were very similar in many ways.

"It was Easter."

"Ah, right." Had it been so long? I had totally lost track of time. Days and night quickly merged together now. "How was she?"

"Fine," she said quickly. "Karolina's good too. She reminds me of you. She really laid into some dhampir guys who were causing trouble."

She had always been protective, so it didn't come as a surprise. Becoming a mother had only made her more willing to stand up to others. She had been a very big role model for me growing up, often taking over for things when my mother was incapacitated, and without her, I don't think I could have taken on my father. "I can see Karolina doing that. Did she have her baby yet?"

"Yeah . . ." she eyed me a bit strangely. "It was a girl. Zoya."

"Zoya." _Life_ , go figure. I wonder if she had the baby before or after hearing about my death. I hoped they didn't mourn me. It was probably better that they thought I was dead because they at least had some closure that way. "Not a bad name. How was Sonya?"

"Okay. I didn't see too much of her. She's a little touchy . . . . Viktoria says it's because of the pregnancy."

"Sonya's pregnant too?" _Damn._

"Oh. Yeah. Six months, I think."

I shook my head, surprised and unsurprised at the same time. "I suppose it had to happen sooner or later. Her decisions aren't always as wise as Karolina's. Karolina's children were by choice. . . . I'm guessing Sonya's was a surprise."

"Yeah. I kind of got that feeling too."

I looked up towards the ceiling, wanting to know about the next two important people in my life. "My mother and grandmother?"

"Er, fine. Both of them."

I let out a breath of relief. Grandma Yeva was still alive then. She was getting much older. And I was glad Mama was still holding on. Even if she did know exactly what had happened at the Academy raid, she was strong. She had years to prepare for this possibility, but she had always hoped for the best. I never wanted to break her heart.

"Your grandmother scared me a little."

I couldn't help my laugh, and Rose jumped a little under my arm. "Yes, she does that to people."

"And she pretended not to speak English." She said it quickly, and with a bit of frustration in her voice. It would be like Yeva to mess with her, and it would be like Rose to stand up to my grandmother. Both were as stubborn as mules. Both had hearts of gold when it came down to it, though.

"Yes, she does that too," I said. "Do they all still live together? In that same house?"

"Yup. I saw the books you told me about. The pretty ones—but I couldn't read them."

I knew exactly which ones she was talking about. I had been so careful with them as a child, treasuring them as much as my mother treasured her old family Bible. I still treasured my books now, but they definitely bore the marks of wear from my rough treatment and constant handling. "That's where I first got into American westerns."

"Man, I loved making fun of you over those." She laughed and I did too.

"Yes, between that, your stereotypes about Eastern European music, and the whole 'Comrade' thing, you had plenty of material."

"'Comrade' and the music were kind of out of line." I almost cheered to hear her admit it, and I immediately contemplated rewarding her with a teasing tickle or kiss, but I almost missed the name now. It had been so long since I heard it, even with her by my side. "But you brought the cowboy thing on yourself, between the leather duster and—" she faded off.

"And then you left them and came to Novosibirsk?"

"Yeah. I came with those dhampirs I was hunting with . . . those other unpromised ones. I almost didn't, though. Your family wanted me to stay. I thought about doing it."

I held the ring up once more, looking at the light through the small hole. "You probably should have."

"They're good people."

"They are," I said softly. "You might have been happy there."

If she had stayed there, she would have been safe. My mother, my grandmother, my sisters; they all would have welcomed her gladly. It sounds like they were already very accepting of her in their lives, and I didn't think it would have taken them very long to realize just how much she meant to me and vice versa. They probably knew the moment she walked in the door. She would have lived a decent life there, even if she hadn't been a guardian. My family would have kept her from falling into a blood whore lifestyle. She might have even found another good man to love and marry again, even as the thought hurt me a little inside. She was mine, always mine, but she would have been happy. Would I have been able to let her go if it meant that she was happy and safe?

I reached over her, placing the ring on the side table, looking at her as I hovered over her. There was a sweetness in her eyes, one that I remembered from our night in the cabin. Yes, I realized, I would have let her go. I kissed her gently, grateful that I didn't have to, though. She was mine now. She always would be. We would be together forever, we would rule together. We would become powerful, more powerful than anyone had ever seen. Together, we had no limits.

I let my hand wander lower, stretching my palm across her stomach. It wouldn't be much longer until I would be able to be inside her again. I was almost as excited for that as I was for her awakening. It had been so hard to deny myself of her body, especially seeing her wear next to nothing to tempt me. I had pushed us both to the limits and soon there would be no limits as all. Mine. Mine. All mine. Forever.

I pulled away, hoping that now was the time. I didn't want to wait any longer. However, she spoke before I could.

"What's it like?"

"What's what like?"

"Kissing."

Was she serious? We had been kissing just a moment ago. I doubted I knocked all sense out of her. She had to mean something more. "What do you mean?"

"You said being awakened enhances all the senses. Is kissing different then?"

"Ah." I gave a gruff laugh. "It is, kind of. My sense of smell is stronger than it used to be, so your scent comes through much more intensely . . . your sweat, the shampoo in your hair," I brushed my fingers through her locks, "it's beyond what you can imagine. Intoxicating. And of course, sharper taste and touch make this better." I brought my lips to hers again, but she only allowed a brief moment before stopping for another question.

"When we were outside the other night, the flowers were really strong. If they're strong to me, are they overwhelming to you? I mean, do the scents get to be too much?" And so it began.

She bombarded me with questions, asking about every single aspect of Strigoi and our lifestyle. She wanted to know everything. She seemed curious and enthusiastic, which was the only thing that kept me going. Part of me wanted to snap that she could just see for herself is she just let me awaken her, but at least she wasn't pulling away again. Her questions and eagerness had to be a good sign.

Soon, the questions seemed to wear her out, though. Her yawns increased, her questions slowed, her eyes drooped, and eventually she admitted defeat. "There's so much I didn't know . . . still don't know. . . ."

"I told you it was amazing." She nodded, agreeing with me. She looked so willing, and it took my nearly all my discipline to keep from biting her right then.

"I have more questions," she murmured, her eyes falling shut for a moment, "But . . . I'm so tired. . . . I still don't feel good. You don't think I have a concussion, do I?"

"No. And once you're awakened, it won't matter anyway."

"But not until you answer the rest of my questions." She spoke the words in a yawn, but I understood them anyways, and my jaw set.

I was trying to think of every way I could push her to turn tonight. She couldn't put this off forever. She was losing favor with Galina by the hour, and so was I. It would be preferable for her to choose for herself, before the last minute, but I would do what I had to. "Okay. Not until then. But time is running out. I told you that before."

Her eyes fell closed for the final time. "But it's not the second day yet. . . ."

"No," I said quietly, more to myself than her. "Not yet."

Her breath was slowly getting steadier, but I could still hear her heart beating a bit faster than normal. Perhaps her mind was still thinking about all the possibilities. I stroked her hair, letting the strands run through my fingers and hoping it would soothe her a little. Finally, I kissed her neck, resisting the desire to sink my fangs in, and smirking at her unconscious tensing beneath my lips. She still wanted me, even while half asleep and dreaming.

In the end, I figured it would be fine to let her sleep. In fact, I hoped she would sleep peacefully. After all, it would be the last time she ever did. By tomorrow night, she'd be Strigoi, and we'd finally be together again.

* * *

I took a deep breath, knowing that this was it. Rose would walk out of this room with me as Strigoi, either by her choice or by my force. I had made sure that any plans for me today were canceled so I could focus solely on this, but Galina had called me in early in the day to give me one last reminder. Her words still rang in my mind. _'She awakens, or you both die. No in between.'_

Galina's own death couldn't come quick enough. I had left her study imagining ever way I could kill her, from beheading her the way she had done with Martyna, to tying her to one of her precious fountains in the garden and letting her see the sunrise for the first time in years. Nothing seemed like enough, though.

As the second door clicked close, I saw Rose leaving the hallways where her closet and bathroom was. "You're back," she smiled happily, practically running into my arms.

I could smell that Inna had been here, but Rose's food looked like it was still untouched.

I held her briefly, allowing her the moment of companionship. It was certainly a good sign that she was in such a good mood today. "Yes. Have you made your decision?"

"I have more questions." She walked over to the bed cheerfully and laid across it. She looked enticing, but I wouldn't be delayed by such things today. We had a deadline, and we both knew it.

Instead, I sat on the edge of the bed, still able to touch her thigh, but able to control us both.

"How long will it take?" she asked. "When you awaken me? Is it instantaneous?"

"The change takes a little while and you'll be unconscious for most of it. However, it won't be long and I'll be here the whole time. I'll take you to feed immediately after."

Question after question followed, but each one seemed more and more abstract, and some were even repeated. Even she began to look agitated and nervous.

I relented, sighing and stretching out beside her. "Rose," I interrupted her latest question about whether or not my hair grew and needed to be cut, "if I didn't know better, I'd say you were stalling for time."

"Of course I am! This is a big deal. I came here to kill you, and now you're asking me to join you. You think this is easy for me to do?" She looked at me aghast, before shirking back and biting her tongue for her outburst.

"Do you think it's been easy for me to wait this long?" I asked. "The only ones who get choices are Moroi who willingly kill, like the Ozeras. No one else gets a choice. I didn't get a choice."

"And don't you regret that?"

The sound of pity in her voice stung, but I held firm. "No, not now. Now that I'm who I was meant to be. The only thing hurt is my pride—that Nathan forced me and that he acts as though I'm indebted to him. Which is why I'm being kind enough to give you the choice now, for the sake of your pride."

She tried to look at me, but couldn't meet my eyes.

"You're sweating. Why?"

"Because I'm scared," I whispered. She propped herself up so she could trace over every part of me. Her hands ran through my hair, over my brows and lips, across my cheek, chest, arms. All the while, she looked at me like she couldn't get enough. "I . . . I think I'm ready, but it's . . . I don't know. It's such a big thing."

"It'll be the best decision of your life, Roza." I could hear her breath growing rapid with want, with excitement for me and the possibilities.

"Tell me again. One more time. Why do you want to awaken me so badly?"

_This again?_ I sighed, recovered, and smiled. "Because I want you. I've always wanted you."

She smiled and nodded. Leaning down, I felt her gentle kiss. I returned the gesture with my own, letting my lips control hers until I felt her squirming and her hand moving across my chest. I felt the tears too late.

But I felt the stake quickly. I never saw it coming and I didn't have the time to stop her. The moment she pulled back, she pressed it into me, ripping the point into my body until I could feel it take my breath and stop my heart. I saw her close her eyes and look away just before my own dimmed into blackness.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Easter/Passover/Chocolaty Spring to you all! I'm glad we are here finally! My goodness, it feels like everything is going to go so fast from here on out. Just a few chapters left. I know many of you were waiting for these moments so I hope they lived up to your expectations. I REALLY want to know what you think.
> 
> Today's Question of the Week is: If you could choose your own nickname, what would it be? Gigi is actually an old nickname of mine, but I wouldn't mind going by Andi. Unfortunately, that's not likely to ever happen since my husband had a bad relationship with an Andi. Like ends with giving her a restraining order type of bad relationship.
> 
> Thanks again to all my faithful readers and commenters. You are my dream team. Thank you for pushing me each week. Please continue to share, follow, favorite, comment, and enjoy!


	18. Chapter 18

The feeling came back in waves. Painful, excruciating, throbbing waves. My chest pushed out the makeshift stake out with every gasping breath until my arms were finally able to respond through the agony and I was able to pull it free with a snarl and tossed it aside. The wound was deep, taking a while to heal itself before I pulled myself up and started looking for that little brat.

"Rose!" My shout rang in the empty room, frustrating me further. She had to be here somewhere. I ripped the curtains from the windows and flipped the bed, all while calling for her. I was panting in my fury when I heard a small whimper coming from the closet.

"нашел тебя." _Found her._ The door knob didn't twist – either jammed or locked – but it didn't matter. I pulled it from the frame and threw it behind me. I'd expected Rose cowering in the corner, but the found Nathan's little pet instead. She looked terrified, and rightfully so, but didn't answer when I spoke to her.

"Where is she?"

Silence.

"I said, 'Where _is_ she?'"

Silence, though she pressed herself further against the wall.

I'd had enough. Taking two steps towards her, I lifted her by the neck until we were eye to eye. She kicked, but nothing connected towards me and her struggling slowed as her breathing grew difficult.

"Tell me where she is. Now."

"She made me tell her the codes. I didn't wa-"

Her body hit the wall with a loud crunch. I glanced at her briefly, cursing her name as I strode past. I didn't care if she was dead or alive at this point, but I could guess. Her arm was bent behind her body in an unnatural angle and she wasn't crying out in pain. In fact, she wasn't making a sound at all. Not with that crack in her skull and the blood staining white carpet underneath her.

I nearly pounded the seven digits into the door, huffing about the half a second it took for the lock to click open. With any luck, Rose had only made it so far and was stuck in the corridor. But no, of course, that would be too easy.

Marlen gave me nearly the same look of fear that Inna had, but it quickly turned into frustration.

"Bitch trapped me in here."

"A dhampir who has been suffering from blood loss and hasn't trained for weeks, still got the better of you? You are a good for nothing, waste of space, piece of dirt that isn't even worth dirtying my shoe. I should kill you but I have more important things to take care of." Snapping his neck took less time than it had to insult him, but both were almost as satisfying as they were necessary so I could move on. It was obvious that Marlen had tried to get out. The dents in the door and the keypad hanging partially from the wall made that clear. The buttons no longer responded to any touch, but thankfully I was able to do much more damage than the low-life behind me. My first kick made a small crack near the jam, and the second broke it free from the locks holding it close.

By now, Rose was long gone. I had no idea how long I was out, but she had anywhere from a ten to fifteen-minute head start on me. Maybe even twenty if I happened to be really unfortunate. Either way, while I might have _felt_ like killing Rose, if she came across anyone else, they would. I had to find her first.

Now was just figuring out where she would go. The obvious answer was 'the hell outta dodge' so I made my way to the same stairwell that I had taken her down when we had gone outside. I should be able to find her in the labyrinth. It was designed to confuse people and keep them wandering for hours, and I'd be able to pick her up before she made her way out. My only regret as I pounded down the four flights of stairs was that I shouldn't have shown her how to leave in the first place. I never expected her to make a break for it, and by all accounts, she shouldn't have been able to do so. Now, anything that happened because she left that room was squarely on my shoulders.

I hit the bottom landing and nearly turned towards the main building again: the same direction I had taken her a few days before. I paused instead, my hand on the handle. She wouldn't have gone that way. Not if she could have helped it. That way meant that she would have met at least one more adversary. Her life depended on getting out with as little detection as possible. On the other side of the landing was the direct exit to the gardens. There was an alarm on it, however. If the alarms weren't blazing, then she couldn't have used it.

I peered into the main entrance to make sure that nobody was up in arms about a rogue dhampir running about, but all seemed quiet. One thing was painfully clear: I had lost her. I had no clue where she could possibly be, or even if she was still alive.

The next logical step was to head to the security room. I could easily spot her wherever she was from there. Being on the first floor let me make it there in a matter of minutes. From the time I left her room to now, that added another five minutes or so. How much longer could she roam without detection? Surely not a half hour. My time was running shorter by the second.

The security room was one of the few places at the Estate that was locked from the general population. There were perhaps ten of us with keys. I reached into my pocket to grab my copy and found it...empty. I almost had to laugh. She always had been fairly resourceful. For heaven's sake, she had managed to create a makeshift stake when those rooms were specifically designed to prevent anything being used as a weapon. I shouldn't be surprised that she stole my keys and cash. I was fairly pissed, though.

The current person manning the security room seemed surprised to see me pounding on the door. It wasn't unusual for me to do random checks of the building, but I had never had to have someone let me in.

"You aren't supposed to let anyone in without a key," I reminded him, using that as my cover.

He nodded, stepping back as I looked over the feeds. He must have been resting on the job again if he hadn't spotted anything unusual yet, but for once, I was grateful.

_There_. She was leaving the vault. The urge to spit curses at the screen was tempered only by the fact that I didn't want anyone else to know what was happening. The vault was probably the last place in this building that I wanted her at this moment because I knew exactly what she was going for.

Scratch that. There was a place that was far worse than the vault for her to be: Galina's study. And the person she was with was leading her directly there. She...she wouldn't. Rose wasn't crazy enough to face Galina head on. It didn't matter if she were crazy or clueless, she had no idea what she was about to face. She would most likely be dead by the time I arrived. Even if she weren't, we both would die quickly after. Galina's wrath would be satisfied.

I ran as fast as I could from the security room, passing others without a word as I made my way to the stairs.

"Belikov!" Nathan called out to me as I rushed past him. I knew he only had a useless threat to use against me so I ignored him as I pushed him away.

"She's gone, Dimitri!" His words made my blood run cold. "Galina will never allow her to stay. Enjoy your last day with her because she's dead at sunrise."

He didn't know how close to the truth he was. Galina wasn't going to wait until morning, though.

I burst through the door, finding Rose pressed against the wall, stake uselessly twisted behind her body, and her hair wrapped around Galina's hand to hold her neck open as Galina's fangs were coming down own her.

"Cтойте!" Galina paused momentarily, throwing her eyes at me but never releasing Rose, no matter how much she struggled against her captor. It didn't dissuade my former mentor, though, because a moment later she was ready to end Rose once more.

I wasn't going to allow it. Galina had been making my choices for far too long, and I was done with it. She wasn't taking Rose from me. Rose was mine. She was mine alone.

I tore Galina from her, glaring when I saw some dark threads pull away with her hand, and shoved Rose back. Putting myself between them, we rushed one another in a series of thrusts and parries that reminded me of years ago when she trained me through endless drills. Back then, we would spar until I could barely breathe, and then for an hour or so longer. She had been a tough trainer, but I had always been grateful for it. In some twisted way, I still was. I could still anticipate her moves, noticing that they hadn't evolved nearly as much as mine had over the years. Perhaps her vanity and decadence had made her lazy. While I had more recent training and stronger technique over her, she had more strength and speed. She was over half a decade older than I was, and while it didn't seem like much, it was enough to make things difficult.

A large shattering distracted me, and she took advantage of it. She managed to twist my arm and kick the outside of my knee. It didn't shatter it like it would have on a dhampir or Moroi, but it still hurt like hell and made me release my grip on her and stumble back. I didn't have time to recover before her fist connected with my nose and blood splattered across the front of face. I wiped the worst of it out of my eyes only to see her smug satisfaction of the work she had done. From the ground I knelt on, I was able to spring up and knock her off balance until we were both grappling on the ground.

Another crashing sound let me know that Rose was close to escaping, and a quick glance confirmed it. She was halfway out of the window when I managed to get Galina in a good position for Rose to drive in a stake.

"Rose!"

She looked over immediately. She knew what I demanded from her, even without words. Every time Galina tried to slip from my grasp, I was able to resecure her, at least partially. Rose was hesitating, perhaps resisting the notion a bit as I battled, but eventually stepped away from her perch and rushed towards me, stake raised.

It didn't hit its mark, though. Not the first time. I could hardly blame her, though. I was shoved into her by someone behind me, and Galina hissed as the silver scratched her skin. I looked behind me only to see both Nathan and Marlen behind me. I should have killed Marlen when I had the chance, and Nathan looked ready to kill me on the spot. Not out of anger, though. No, he looked like he was excited to make my death long, slow, and excruciating for me, while bringing him the most sadistic pleasure imaginable.

Galina still struggled against me, yelling as I tried my best to hold her tight. A final push against me told me that Rose had made the kill shot, and seconds later Galina's body slumped to the ground as I released her. My next focus was on Nathan, Marlen, and some woman that I had recently seen around both Nathan and Galina, but had never bothered to speak much too myself. She hardly made an impact on anyone, barely spoke, and only seemed like a threat now because she was fighting with two others. Alone, I doubted she would have even tried to face me.

They were all sneering, blood hungry. They weren't looking for a feast, but a battle. They wanted revenge, power, and who knows what else. And they wanted it from me. They could care less about the girl who was currently making her way to the broken window.

I met her eyes one last time, only to see pity there. Of all the things for her to show – relief, vengefulness, or even perhaps devotion – she pitied me. And I hated her for it.

Then she jumped.

That was the last moment I had before I was fighting for my life against three people. None of them were nearly as difficult to fight alone as Galina, but all three together proved to be quite the struggle. The easiest to kill was the girl. I still didn't know who she was, but she was the weakest by far. Her technique was sloppy and poorly formed. If I had to guess, she was one of the Feed Lot whores who had actually lived long enough to be turned. I twisted her so her so her back was to me, allowing her to absorb a few blows from the other as I moved towards the window. All it took was a spare piece of glass to slice her throat apart and a final break to snap the spine in two before her body was cut away from her head.

Marlen gasped as I tossed the head towards him, her mouth and eyes still wide with her last scream. My foot followed, kicking him back into the flames of Galina's fireplace. She had always insisted on this comfort, calling it "homey" despite its danger to us. Or, perhaps because of it. It put all of her guests on edge.

The pained shrieks of Marlen dying in the flames provided the background soundtrack to mine and Nathan's final showdown. I had no doubt that he would be the hardest to kill: not because he was stronger than me, but because he had witnessed me killing the other two. He would be wary of both the window and the fireplace now. Brute strength would have to do.

Or so I thought until I saw him grab something from a small bag on the side table. I hadn't seen it there before, and it was way too worn to be something that Galina would have carried. That was hardly something I concerned myself with though as I saw what he started to reveal from it. It was nearly a foot long, tapering to a sharp point, one side covered in cloth and tied with a cord while the other side was a glaring silver.

Nathan intended to use a stake on me.

How he managed to get one was beyond me. Sure, he had keys to the vault just like I did, but I doubted he was smart enough to plan this in the blink of an eye. He must have been preparing this for a while and the right opportunity was just now presenting itself.

"I was planning on blaming your little girlfriend. You were so consumed with playing with her that it would have been all too easy to drive this into your back while she was on hers. At least you would have died happy, right? Then I could have killed her, letting me be the hero who caught the dangerous intruder that you dared to bring into our midst. It would have been more than enough to bring me into Galina's good graces." He smirked as I backed up into one of the bookcases, trying to run through my options. "I can still blame her, I guess. You both killed Galina, turning traitor on your own kind before she proved to be just what she was: a guardian. Who's to say that she didn't turn the stake on you and killed you too. Maybe she even killed the others before I arrived here to save the Estate from a total loss."

"And what? You managed to beat her?"

"Is that so hard to believe?" He pressed his free hand to his chest, mocking pain.

"Nobody is going to believe that she killed both me and Galina and somehow _you_ survived."

He shrugged. "Hey, she got tired. She slipped. Whatever. I took care of it and burned the body. And the best part? I'm the one they all look up to now. I'm the one who rules it all. And it's all thanks to you. I should almost be grateful, you know?"

I rolled my eyes at his false majesty.

That seemed to do it, pissing him off enough so that he rushed me. Despite his previous battle experience and the fact that he had beat me before, his rage had gotten the best of him. With a quick sidestep, I was able to twist his body around, maneuver his arm and drive the stake into his own heart using the same momentum that he had hoped to use on me.

It had taken two seconds for him to go from him having the upper hand to him being on the ground, taking his last breath.

"You're welcome."

The stake was still in him as I tore to the window. I could spot Rose trying to find her way through the maze, running in circles, before I leaped down the two stories to finish what I had started: Rose would be awakened before nightfall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I'm so glad that you guys are sticking with me each and every week.
> 
> This week's Question of the Week is: Which would you pick? Being world-class attractive, a genius, or famous for doing something great?
> 
> I don't know if you would call it "great" but I would like to be known for at least one impactful piece of writing. I'm hoping to do an original novel someday, and when I do, I would like it to be one that inspires people in some way. Whether it is a best seller that becomes famous around the worlds and brings millions together in dissecting the possible thematic meanings and creating fan theories, or perhaps just a little story that somehow becomes a favorite amongst a handful of people who create a tight-knit but amazing fandom, I hope to somehow touch a few lives.
> 
> Thank you for reading, commenting, favoriting and following. Please remember to share this story if you enjoy it and leave your happy thoughts to keep me going! We're at the final push people!


	19. Chapter 19

She should have broken her foot. It was a full two stories down and the ground was hard without anything to break the fall. She must have sprained her ankle at least. My cheek pulled into a smirk knowing she'd be slowed down significantly, not that it would make a difference. She could be at full speed, full strength, well-rested and full of energy, and she would still be no match for me. We had been fairly evenly matched before my awakening, but now...there was no comparison.

I knew she had gone into the maze. Besides it being the obvious choice for her to leave without further harm, I could even hear the uneven steps she made with her hindered leg under the swish of the wind. The question was _where_ she was in the maze. There were several entrances, and she could have taken any of them. She could be near the exit or lost in a never ending loop of boxwood and jasmine. There wasn't time to sit wondering, though. I chose one and ran to follow her.

"Roza!" I called to her, listening intently for any reply to my words. All I heard was a sudden stop to her escape. "Roza, I know you're out there. I can smell you." It was a lie, unfortunately. If I could smell her skin or her blood, it would have been so much easier to find her. As it was, all I could smell was those damn flowers. The first thing I going to do when I took over this place was cut them down and burn them in a pit along with anyone who decided they didn't like the change in regime. It was fitting to let them die along with Galina's reign.

"I won't kill you, not if you give yourself up. I owe you. You took out Galina for me, and now I'm in charge. Replacing her happened a little ahead of schedule, but that's not a problem. Of course, there aren't many people to control now that Nathan and the others are dead. But that can be fixed."

As much as I hated to admit it, I needed her now. I could claim Galina's early demise on my own, but it would be better for us to both claim that honor as a united front. The death of Galina and the others would solidify us as the next in command. It would put us in the seat of power. Right now that power was at a tipping point and a single bump in the road would tip it outside of my favor. Showing the others that I could not only defy her wishes but awaken a Strigoi who was strong enough to kill Galina herself would be all that would be required to push everything into place. Stephen would bring others who were willing to follow, and those who refused loyalty to us would suffer.

Her footsteps were growing louder. I was not only getting closer, but I knew she was getting more frantic.

"I'm not upset about you attacking me, either," I continued. "I would have done it in your place. It's just one more reason why we should be together." Perhaps 150 feet in front of me, maybe less, and a little to the left, I heard her swear. She wasn't far at all now, perhaps only a few twists and turns. I could reach her within a few minutes if she kept making noise.

"You're still dangerous, though. If I find you, I'm probably going to have to kill you. I don't want to, but I'm starting to think there's no way we can both live in this world. Come to me by choice, and I'll awaken you. We'll control Galina's empire together."

Her breath picked up and there was some more rustling of rocks under her feet, running away and then immediately moving back towards me. I knew we had to be close to the end of the labyrinth, but she still seemed hopelessly lost. Perhaps she would eventually make it out, but if I made it out of here before her, then I could simply wait for her in the open. Would she dare go back in knowing that I'd be able to catch her instantly?

"Even if you get out, where will you go?" I shouted over the hedge. "We're in the middle of nowhere."

The hedge shifted beside me as she ran past. I still needed to get around it, but I realized that with my focus on finding her, I hadn't been mindful of my own position in here. I now had to orientate myself, remembering the path I had taken and where I might be along the route.

My thoughts were interrupted by my own frustrated curse when the sound of her footsteps on gravel suddenly switched to grass; she had found her exit.

Getting out was now more of a priority than ever. I touched the hedge beside me, letting my fingers brush against the leaves as I ran beside it. While it wasn't the most efficient method of finding my way, it was a guarantee. As long as I didn't let go of the hedge, I'd be able to eventually find my way out. I just hoped that it was a very quick 'eventually.'

I bit my tongue as she ran further and further from me, but I focused on my own progress. As soon as I got out of here, I could find her and bring her back. Even if I had to drag her by that pretty hair of hers, she'd be coming back with me. She didn't think I'd let her go that easily, did she?

When I finally found my way to the exit, the sound of her escape was all but gone. I held back from running head first into the field, though. Instead, I peered at the edge of the treeline, letting my superior ability to see in the dark take over as I searched her out.

She was gripping a tree, glancing back towards me as she panted. Her back was to the purple haze of Novosibirsk. The city was the most logical place for someone to escape to, and I couldn't fault her for her choice. Perhaps I would have chosen the same delusion if I were in her place. When she couldn't see me, she disappeared into the woods.

It would be harder to find her in the forest, but it wouldn't be impossible. I could gain ground quickly across the field and she would be hindered by both her leg and the terrain. The moment I reached the spot she had disappeared, I could see a path. The fallen leaves and small twigs were a blaring siren of her desperate flight. I had taught her better than this.

I shook my head in disappointment while I began tracking her. I was starting to get frustrated with her, though.

"Rose! I swear it's not too late!"

I could smell her now that the flowers had faded. I could pick her out over the decay of leaves, the earthy smell of dirt, and the fresh scent of grass and new growth. Between that and the path she had left me, I had all I needed to find her.

I slowed as closed in on her. "Roza..."

I couldn't hear her anymore, not even the steady sound of her breathing. She had to be here, though. Her footsteps were no longer in a single line, running for her life. They circled, scattered the leaves all around this spot as if she was looking for a place to hide rather than run. This is where I would find her.

"Roza..." I could feel my skin prickling. She was watching me. I had always been able to feel her watching me and I felt that same sensation now. But from where?

I heard the branch creak, and only realized that it was above me when I looked up to see her falling from the tree. She landed hard enough to knock me to my back and pinned me while she brought the stake down. I was able to deflect her arm, but the move cost me a cut to the cheek.

I roared in pain and twisted her under me, instantly regretting the technique I had taught her months ago about using an enemy's size against them as she flipped me back once more. There was some pride, though, and there was no denying why I wanted her so badly.

"You. Are. Amazing." My words came out in struggled breaths, and she didn't even bother to reply as she continued grappling with me. We were both hurt and exhausted, but this would end tonight. I would make sure of it.

Eventually, her stake hit the same place she had torn my shirt earlier. The previous stabbing had healed over, but she was dedicated to making a new, lasting one in its place. I shifted at the last minute, throwing her off of me and hearing her hit the wild brush some distance away.

She scrambled to her feet while I shook off the sting of the silver just long enough to charge her again. Desperately, she took off, not looking behind her as she dodged saplings and low branches. I broke them off the trees in my own pursuit.

I halted a few short feet behind her as she reached the edge of a bluff. Instead of stopping as well, she fell off, blinded by the darkness around us. I watched her cry out as she slid down. It sounded full of surprise and pain, even before she hit the ground. The way she stumbled every time she tried to stand, confirmed that whatever damage she had done to her ankle before was now intensified tenfold.

She stood in one of the small streams the led into Ob, not far from the deadly, dark, fast-moving waters. Even then, she glanced back as if considering it. She must have come to her senses, though, because she remained still, staring at me and waiting for me to come for her.

Would she run again or had she resign herself to the fact that this was hopeless?

I barely made it two steps down the hill when she tried to run again, catching herself once as her ankle gave way beneath her, and made for the bridge in the distance.

I tried to turn and reach the top again, but the same loose dirt that had caught her before was now dragging me down. I ran with the flow of it with, letting the dust flying around me until I hit the bottom with a splash in the same water that had greeted her.

She didn't make it even twenty feet with that injury. I only had to reach out my hand before I was able to snatch the back of her jacket and pull her against me. With one hand on her coat and the other pressing into her arm, I screamed at her.

"Stop it! Don't you get it? You can't win!"

"Then kill me!" she spat back, pain in her voice. It wasn't desperation hurting her, though, but the physical pain of that leg and my grip on her. She was struggling to free herself, but I had her so trapped that even her stake was useless. "You said you would if I didn't surrender myself. Well, guess what? I didn't. I won't. So just get it over with."

I pressed her closer, rubbing my cheek against her hair and laughing as she pulled away sharply. "It'd take a lot for me to kill you, Rose. This isn't enough."

There was a small choking sound that came out of her as I tipped her head back by her hair and forced her neck open to my bite. She still struggled, but it was over and she knew it.

And then there was something all around us. These creatures in light, shifting, shades of color. Some I recognized and many I didn't. I began swatting at them as they flew at me, moving through my hands and even my body as I tried to push them away. I tried to move, but they surrounded me. I couldn't even see Rose through the literal cloud of ghosts around me.

For that was what they were. If I weren't certain before, I couldn't deny it when I saw him. Mason was before me, brighter than the rest but still pale, mute, and with an unyielding anger in his eyes. If he could breathe, he would have been growling with each breath as he stared me down. I took a step back as pushed towards me, and fell as he flew through my body, attacking me the best he could. He was relentless, even more so than the others.

Then he was gone. The others still kept their attack on me, but he turned his head with a worried look and took off into the distance.

While I was glad to be rid of Rose's self-proclaimed protector, I realized exactly who he was now focused on. Between the faded figures, I could barely make out his body uselessly pushing Rose up the steep hill that she tried to climb. She was completely unaware of the guardian angel on her shoulder, but he was persistent.

I was too. I did my best to ignore the silent but demanding assault around me, stepping closer to her every single second. She had reached the top and was standing at the edge of the bridge over Ob before I made the hillside.

Her body was beginning to fail her, though. I might have been tired and a bit weak from a night of fighting, but she was still mortal, and a painfully injured one at that. Some of the ghosts were beginning to fade and disappear, but not all of them. They seemed to be attacking me more than her, but she was obviously still affected by them.

She was on her hands and knees, mumbling something low enough that I couldn't hear her from this far, but I could see Mason trying to hold her and comfort her. When she shouted 'Go!' into the air, he looked at me with one more venomous stare and faded from view, as did everyone else but Rose and me.

Without that distraction, I was able to take off again. I ran up the sharp hillside at a slant, limiting my effort and the amount of sliding back down.

She seemed unable to run at this point, holding on to the rail of the bridge for dear life as she backed away from me. I stepped onto the bridge, knowing that this would be the setting for our final showdown. She would die and come alive again right here.

"Another shadow-kissed effect?"

"Yeah," she panted out of breath and winced as she took another step back. "Turns out ghosts don't much like Strigoi."

"You didn't seem to like them much either."

She glanced all around her, as of that would provide some magical escape.

When she found none, she smiled at me with that false cheerfulness. "So, did I go far enough for you to not want to turn me?"

I smirked. "No. Your shadow-kissed abilities have their uses...too bad they'll go away when you're awakened."

"You're not going to awaken me," she insisted.

Now, I laughed. "Rose, there's no way you can—"

"No." She climbed the low rail of the bridge and let one leg swing over.

I wasn't laughing anymore. "What are you doing?"

"I told you. I'll die before I become Strigoi. I won't be like you or the others. I don't want that. You didn't want that either, once upon a time."

I could see that she was still scared as she looked down at the rushing water, but she was determined. Worse still, once she peered over at me again, she suddenly looked at peace. She had come to her decision and was taking the choice out of my hands.

"Rose, don't." I took two hesitant steps, trying to keep from spooking her. I needed her alive for her to be awakened. "Please, we need to be together."

"Why?" She quietly asked the same question she had asked several times before, and I gave her the same answer.

"Because I want you."

Her smile almost made me believe that she would come back over the ledge, but then she shrugged. "Wrong answer."

And then she let go.

I raced to her faster than I had ever moved before. My hand barely caught one of hers before she fell out of reach of my grasp. I began to pull her up again while she started kicking and struggling to break the hold.

"Stop fighting me!" She was so close to falling, and I had to shift my weight to get a better grip on her.

"Let go of me!" she screamed back. I could hear the hopeless despair in her voice, but I wasn't letting go. Not when her immortality was within reach.

I pulled her up so that she was close enough to get a foothold on the railing if she wished. I didn't let go of her hand, though. I knew if I did, she would just try to jump again. So with one hand on her wrist and the other trying to reach around her, I leaned over the railing to pull her back.

She stopped me though before I could. Our eyes met. "I will always love you."

I tried to ponder her words and the memory of how they were once said before, in another time when I held her tightly in my arms, but the searing pain of her stake struck me.

I screamed. I struggled. And the memory clicked.

The cabin. I promised to love her. I promised to protect her. That's all she wanted from me. I was so damn close.

"That's what I was supposed to say..."

Between my precarious balance and the pain in my chest, all it took was a quick push from her to send me falling to a watery grave.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm going to say something before you all start yelling at me in the comments. YES, Mason was supposed to cross over. Yes, I'm seemingly breaking canon. No, I don't feel like I am. I gave a big hint in here as to why (plus a smaller one) but for the full answer, you will have to wait until MUCH later. You've trusted me in the past, guys. Trust me now. I promise I have a plan and it will all work out AND fit canon! 
> 
> Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed it. I think we have one more chapter, maybe two but I highly doubt it! I know it's been a long ride but thanks for holding in there with me. TWO MORE BOOKS LEFT!
> 
> This weeks question of the week: If you could live in any TV home, which one would it be?
> 
> I REALLY love the loft/apartment in How I Met Your Mother. Otherwise, I can't think of many lol.
> 
> Thanks again for reading and please don't forget to share, favorite, follow, and comment. Also, I'm sorry guys but I'm behind on comments at the moment. I'm trying to catch up. I promise I haven't forgotten them!


	20. Chapter 20

The water was cold. And dirty. And fast. I should be grateful for that last one, though, because it was probably what saved me. The stake was still inside my chest, burning me from the inside out, but it had shifted from where it had been directed. Not much, I'm sure, but just enough.

Others would already be dead by now. I may not be able to drown, but human nature was a powerful thing and my body fought to live despite my immortality. My throat was coated in mud and my lungs were filling with water as I struggled to stay afloat. I couldn't think straight as my body rejected the sensations.

Eventually, my head broke the water and I was able to see the stars and the moon above me. More importantly, I was able to see the bank. It took almost as much strength as any of my previous fights, but I was able to swim to the edge of the water before using a fallen tree to pull me up the last five feet. As soon as I was able to feel the rocky shore underneath me, I collapsed against it. I was trying desperately to breathe, but it felt like every gasp was leaving me choking for air.

I knew what I had to do. I looked at the stake and hoped that it would remove itself as the wooden one had done before, knowing already that it was specifically designed not to. This wound would remain, slowly killing me unless I removed the stake myself.

Tearing a scrap of my shirt off, I tried to use the technique that I had used earlier with Nathan: placing the cloth between my hand and the stake as a barrier. Even as I began pulling, I could feel the slip of the wet fabric against the smooth handle. I had been able to push a cloth wrapped stake into Nathan, but pulling one out was much harder, especially at this angle. My head fell back as I steeled myself for the extra pain that was coming.

With my weaker hand, I grasped the stake – sans protection – and pulled. I could feel it burning my skin just as it had burned my chest, but it felt ten times worse against every nerve ending in my palm. I could feel it pulling out bit by bit, but I had to let go of it just to breathe after a moment.

I dipped my hand in the cool water, shouting several curses into the air (some were directed at Rose, some were more generalized) and then psyched myself up for another session of torture. After three rounds of this, my chest finally felt free of the burning sensation.

There was a sense of satisfaction in throwing the blasted stake as far behind me as I could. I enjoyed the sound of it tearing apart the brush and the thud of it against the dirt. I imagined its final resting place among the nothingness and laughed at the fitting end. Rose felt like she accomplished some great purpose, but she had done nothing. She was nothing. Useless, just like that stake.

Hesitantly, I allowed myself to look at my hand. There was a reason I had used my non-dominate hand. It still burned as if I had stuck it directly into the flames. It didn't look much better either. The skin was pink and blistered, torn in some places so blood was pouring out and where there weren't broken blisters, it was chapped and raw. I didn't even want to test the wound, knowing that it would only make the agony worse than it already was.

While I knew that it wouldn't become infected, I also knew an injury like this wouldn't heal within a day or two. Silver wounds always took a bit longer than others. Scratches still seemed like they were nothing when it came to healing, especially to the untrained eye, but the mark of a stake piercing my body would last several days. My hand... I wondered if it would heal before or after the wound on my chest. My guess was after...long after.

I pulled myself up and further from the water, reclining against a thick tree nearby. Its branches extended far and it was thick, thick enough that I wondered if it would provide enough of a shield during the day. I was exhausted and the energy it would take just to make it up the hill to the trail seemed out of my reach. How was I supposed to make it back to the Estate? Perhaps I could find a happy medium? Certainly, there was some cave or overhang that I could hide under for the day.

_Hide_?

There was no way in hell I was hiding.

Especially not now. I needed to make my push to take the Estate before someone else did or before it broke into total anarchy.

Unfortunately, that meant moving.

The ache in my body reminded me that immortality didn't mean that I was indestructible. I grunted as I lifted my body up, careful to keep my weight on one hand and tucking the other close against me. Each step became easier and harder at the same time. My momentum and drive pushed me forward, but my body begged me to stop.

When I made it to the top of the hill, a small glint among the foliage caught my eye. I didn't have to think more than a second to know what it was. That goddamn stake. I turned away immediately, following our tracks that led away from the bridge and back towards the estate.

A few steps after, though, I stopped. I smiled. Then I tore another piece of cloth from my tattered and ruined shirt before moving back towards the place where I knew the stake was. It was stuck, point down, mocking me. Wrapping the cloth around the handle, I pulled and was grateful that it was much easier from this position. It also helped that it wasn't stuck several inches deep into my chest.

I slipped into my back pocket of my pants that had somehow survived this whole ordeal, making sure that it was wrapped completely and securely, and then made my way back towards the Estate.

I reached the estate just before dawn. The walk took nearly three times as long as it had while pursuing Rose. As expected, the place was a mess. Several people were trying to establish order, others were crying out in confusion as to what was going to happen, and then several more were yelling in anger at the others.

My entrance wasn't grand. No bursting doors or blasting horns. There weren't cheers of support or vows of loyalty as they saw me. Many continued arguing until one voice rose above the rest.

"Dimitri!" Stephen called out to me from across the room, and many of the others fell silent. The rest quieted as the room did, slowly drawing their attention towards me. "We thought you had died with the others."

I raised a brow as the charge. "It takes more than Nathan and Galina to kill me."

"What about the dhampir girl?"

Thankfully my back was turned to the crowd and whoever had dared questioned me about her because my annoyance would have been clear on my face. I knew someone would ask about Rose, but I hadn't thought of an explanation as to why she wasn't here by my side yet. I could just say I killed her. But I still wanted her to eventually stand with me. I couldn't very well do that if I insisted she was already dead.

But there was another way. One that would earn me credit in my fight with her, as well as my reign here.

Turning, I faced the crowd. "We fought. She used the same stake that killed both Galina and Nathan to pierce me in the heart and got away. But I survived."

"She staked you...and you survived?"

Even Stephen looked skeptical, though he worked hard not to show it.

"Nobody has ever survived a staking. How do we know you didn't just let her get away?"

I growled, stepping towards the naysayer. "You need proof of my words? You don't believe that I speak the truth?"

He stood still, his face solid by his eyes screaming in fear. I smirked.

"Fine, since my word seemed insufficient to prove to you that I survived, I'll offer you indisputable evidence."

I stood back, stepping on a stair so that I was slightly above the crowd before moving my shirt to the side so they could see the full damage of the stake right above my heart. To the unknowing eye, it would have been a direct hit. Even to the skilled guardian, it would look like a hit that should have killed.

Many people stared in surprise, some even gasping at the sight.

"That's impossible. Nobody survives a silver stake."

I raised my chin, letting the full mantle of leadership to fall on me as I made a decision that would seal my position as the ruler here.

"I'm not most people."

I pulled the stake from my back pocket letting the protective cloth fall away and held it up above the crowd. The metal against my already blistered skin roared in pain, but I grit my teeth through it and kept my face passive as the crowd began to cheer and chant. To them, I had done the miraculous; not only could I hold the bare silver of an enchanted stake, I could survive a direct hit to my heart and survive. Why wouldn't they follow such a powerful and almighty commander?

Seconds later, I dropped the stake at my feet. Someone felt the need to test its power and hissed at its sting, making my perceived power only that much more magnificent to the others. With that, I allowed them to confirm amongst themselves that they would follow me. I didn't doubt that they would do so after I had shown them what I could do.

Meanwhile, Stephen followed me as I made my way to the sanctuary of my room.

"How did you do that?" He was obviously not as convinced of my apparent divinity as the other seemed to be.

"Which part?"

"How about both? Or all? Killing Galina and the others couldn't have been easy."

"I had help with them," I confessed honestly as he tried to keep up with my quick strides. I needed to get to my room quickly so I could soothe and bandage my hand. "Rose took out Galina while immobilized her, and Nathan ...well, he and the others weren't really what you would call 'difficult.'"

"What about Rose?"

"She got away," my chest rumbled with anger. "I wasn't lying. She staked me, but the river must have dislodged it just enough that it didn't fully pierce the heart. I survived, but it was only by sheer dumb luck."

He cursed. "It would have been better to turn or kill her."

I glared at him. I knew that already, but I didn't need him to confirm it for me.

He lowered his voice. "And the stake? How did you hold it?"

I answered it by showing him my left hand. The marks were worse, with larger blisters and more blood, but the upside was that the pain was nearly gone because the palm was practically numb now. It was a bad sign to be sure, but I would take the pain relief where I could.

Stephen cursed again, but instead of it being one of sympathy, it was one of pure shock.

"I need to wrap this, and the others need to believe that my hand is perfectly fine. I will have it unwrapped when I'm out and about, but I'll keep it hidden. I'm right handed rather than left, so that should be fine."

He nodded. His mouth was open as he still stared at the angry red marks.

"What I need you to do now is go back and make sure they are making the right choice. Our plan still stands. Galina is gone and it is up to us to take over. I'll be back as soon as I get this taken care of but I need you to go out there and tell them that I'm the new head of the Estate. Take names of anyone who puts up a fight and I'll deal with them later. Got it?"

With a final nod, I sent him off.

He was at the end of the hall when I called back to him. "And get me that stake back!"

He didn't question why but ran off all the same.

* * *

The cool water brought relief to my hand once more. I let the water run over it for nearly ten minutes until my fingertips were just as numb as my palm before I gently set my hand on the clean washrag to dry. The long bandage beside me was already prepped and I hesitated to put it on. I knew it would initially bring more pain, but eventually, it would also protect me from the pain around me as well. The trade-off was necessary, if unpleasant.

Watching the clean, white gauze wrap around my knuckles, I could almost see another memory. Hands, gauze, words, and glances. It was all shifting, though, fuzzy and incomprehensible. I shook my head to clear the sensation. I was just exhausted and my mind was playing tricks on me.

As I sunk onto the bed in my room, I wished that I could truly sleep. Laying here and breathing deep to relax my body would only do so much. It did absolutely nothing to soothe my mind. I replayed every moment on that bridge over and over again, trying to imagine what I could have done differently. If I had moved quicker. If I had shifted my weight just a little more? If I had just forced her to the ground and taken her by force. Nathan had done that to me, taking the choice away, and I had thought it would be better to give her the choice. Now she was gone.

Or I could have just told her those words she so desperately wanted to hear. Love was a weakness that made people do stupid things. It was one of the reasons I had fallen in that cave. But those weak emotions could also be a powerful tool. They could manipulate and twist those who were weak into doing what you needed. Nathan had bent Ina to do his bidding with promises of love. I had persuaded Rose with physical favors but had neglected those little emotions that might have been the linchpin to her decision because they didn't bring me any pleasure as well.

I never thought I'd see the day where I'd admit that _Nathan_ was smarter than I was. At least I could rest comfortably knowing that he'd never know.

A knock brought me back to my current reality.

"Sir," a hesitant, quiet voice sounded through a crack in the door. "I brought you the stake you asked for. Mr. Volkov said you wanted to keep it as a trophy."

"Yes. Just place over there on the table." I gestured towards some random area in the room, hoping that she'd figure it out. She didn't question me for a moment as to why I didn't want to touch it, but did as I asked.

"Do you..." she hesitated. "Do you need anything else...Sir?"

My eyes were closed and my head resting on the pillow, but it was easy to hear the offer in her voice.

"Blood."

"You can use me," her voice had gone from timid and coy to desperate in a second.

I opened one eye to glance at her. It looked like it was taking all her self-control just to stay put by my door. "Unless you are looking to die at my hands today, I suggest you bring me another feeder. I need more blood than you can provide."

She sighed, looking depressed before making her way to leave. With her hand on the knob, she turned back towards me. "Just so you know, Sir, it would be an honor to die by your bite. I can't think of anything better."

I nearly laughed hearing the door close behind her. These humans were crazy, doing nearly anything for a bite. I could understand the desire to earn their awakening, but being grateful just to die by a Strigoi's bite? I had heard it all.

* * *

As promised, the young man who had been sent to me didn't last long. He was drained quickly and did more to energize me than any amount of rest could. The soreness was still there, but at least I had the ability to move about without looking like the walking dead.

I sent for Stephen afterward, conferring with him about the next steps. He eagerly let me know that a majority were on board for the change in regime, and those that were questioning me had been warned to leave before I made my next appearance. They were already packing their things and making plans to head out sundown.

Stephen had also taken the initiative to start having Galina's personal items moved out of her room so that I could take it. In a symbolic move, he suggested moving into my room, even though it was no bigger than any other room meant for her underlings. However, it would send the sign that he was my second. I had to admit that I was glad he was on my side of this takeover. For someone who seemed to quiet and unintrusive, he tended to have a strategic mind that could cause issues if he truly decided to revolt.

I agreed and sent for some human servants to start packing my own personal effects while I oversaw things. He did the same. Everything would be finished within 24 hours, and in 48, the Estate would be ours.

It did leave me a bit bitter, though. Everything had worked out well, but also so far from what I had planned. As helpful as Stephen had proved to be since I decided to work with him, he wasn't my Roza. We would never be as in sync as Rose and I were. I could manipulate him, but I wouldn't be able to anticipate his thoughts, motives, and needs like I could with Rose. He would never be able to work alongside me, battling beside me like Rose could. Our fight with Galina had been proof of just that. Even with her trying to escape, she was there when I needed her. She would always fight by my side when I needed her, even when her mind told her not to. It was inevitable. _We_ were inevitable.

I eyed the stake on my nightstand again. She probably thought I was dead. Why would she think anything different? I had dropped from view into a rushing river and probably hadn't surfaced until I was far enough that she wouldn't have been able to see me, even if she had waited to look for me.

Perhaps I should let her know that our battle wasn't over, just postponed.

She would eventually return to St. Vladimir's. With my 'death' out of the way, she would be doing everything in her power to graduate and continue her duty to Lissa. Serving the Princess for the rest of her life. Pathetic.

She deserved so much more. I could have given her more and she threw it all away.

I took out a pen and paper, tapping the pen against the desk as I thought about those final moments.

_You forgot another lesson: Never turn your back until you know your enemy is dead. Looks like we'll have to go over the lesson again next time I see you- which will be soon_.

Remembering just how much she had wanted to hear those words, I smiled as I signed it with a flourish...

_Love, D_ _._

I gave it to one of the attendants to send to St. Vladimir's. He looked at the address but didn't acknowledge it, knowing that he didn't have a right to. As soon as she arrived, it would be waiting for her.

And I'd be waiting for her the moment she dropped her guard.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it, folks! Blood Promise: Dimitri's Point of View is officially over! I hope you all enjoyed it because, despite some (very) rough spots, I sure did.
> 
> No question of the week. In my "end of story" tradition, I'd like to ask you what you liked and disliked about this story, my writing style, or anything else you can think of pertaining to the story. As long as you are nice about it, I'm really open to criticism. I also like compliments, but hey, constructive criticism makes me a stronger writer overall.
> 
> HOWEVER, if you really want to give me props (and I kinda hope you do) some amazing person made a page for me over on Goodreads! I don't know who you are, but you are wonderful. Now, several people have already reviewed and added my books to their "read" or "to read" list, but if you want to add your kind words then you can go search my pen name over there and you'll find my stories. Thank you!
> 
> Once again, thanks to everyone who reads, reviews, comments, and shares these stories. You are amazing. I'm blessed to have you in my life. I'll be taking a short break while I prep for the next installment, so be sure to put me on you "fav authors" list to get updated when it comes out


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